Faculty Profile

Background

Silberstein earned her BA from Binghamton University (1981), her JD from SUNY at Buffalo (1985), and her MS and PhD from the New York State School of Industrial Labor Relations at Cornell (1995). Her area of research is in U.S. women's labor history with a focus on the effects of public policies and laws on women's status. She is currently working a project about the development of the public librarian profession in the United States examining how the relationship between gender-based and sexuality-based assumptions influences one's occupational status. Silberstein is also a licensed New York State attorney and provides advice and counsel in the areas of labor law and employment discrimination. In 2011 the City Council of Binghamton, NY appointed her as its representative on the newly formed Binghamton Human Rights Commission. Professor Silberstein has served as the Director of the Women's Studies Program since 1995 and has worked with the Program's faculty, staff and students to strengthen the kind of feminist scholarship and pedagogy that best represents Binghamton University. In recent years she has pursued a number of civic engagement opportunities for the program's students and faculty. She was a co-recipient of an award from Americorps which supported a three year project developing neighborhood assemblies throughout the city of Binghamton.

Education

• PhD, MS, Cornell University
• JD, State University of New York at Buffalo
• BA, Binghamton University

Research Interests

• U.S. women’s labor history with a focus on the effects of public policies and laws on women’s status.

Teaching Interests

• A Legal History of Sexuality in the United States
• Women and the Law
• Introduction to Women’s Studies
• Feminism and Activism