Rebecca Herzig is a writer and professor. She is chair of the program in Gender and Sexuality Studies at

Bates College Bates College () is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian ...

in Maine.

Career

Herzig is the author of ''Suffering for Science: Reason and Sacrifice in Modern America'', ''The Nature of Difference: Sciences of Race from Jefferson to Genomics'', and ''Plucked: A History of Hair Removal''. Herzig’s work on hair removal examines how changing social norms have influenced the “voluntary” pursuit of beauty. ''Plucked'' was named best book of the year by ''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British newspaper published weekly in printed magazine format and daily on Electronic publishing, digital platforms. It publishes stories on topics that include economics, business, geopolitics, technology and culture. M ...

''. Herzig has been on the executive councils of the Society for the Social Studies of Science, the Society for the History of Technology, and the International Committee for the History of Technology. She has received MIT’s Kristen E. Finnegan Prize and Bate’s Kroepsch Award for her teaching. Herzig is also a regular media commentator.

Reception

''Plucked'' was well received by both academic and popular media. It was named one of

Science Friday ''Science Friday'' (known as ''SciFri'' for short) is a weekly call-in talk show that broadcasts each Friday on public radio stations, distributed by WNYC Studios, and carried on over 500 public radio stations. ''SciFri'' is hosted by science ...

's best science books of 2015. ''The Economist'' called Plucked a “delightful history of hair removal in America,” and ''The Journal of American History'' said the book was an “interesting, serious, and meticulously researched contribution to American history.”

Publications

Books *R. Herzig, ''Suffering for Science: Reason and Sacrifice in Modern America'' (Rutgers University Press 2005). *R. Herzig, ''Plucked: A History of Hair Removal'' (NYU Press 2015). Edited works *E. Hammonds, R. Herzig, ed. ''The Nature of Difference: Sciences of Race in the United States from Jefferson to Genomics'' (MIT Press 2009). *B. Subramaniam, R. Herzig, eg. ''Feminist Technosciences'' (University of Washington Press)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herzig, Rebecca Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Bates College faculty 21st-century American women writers Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni Gender studies academics 21st-century American women educators