Women's Freedom Network

Rita J. Simon is founder and President of the Women's Freedom Network. She has been University Professor in the School of Public Affairs and the Washington College of Law at American University since 1988. Professor Simon served as Dean of the School of Justice at American University from 1983 to 1988. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago. She has taught at the University of Illinois, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Yale University and the University of Chicago. Professor Simon has authored over 17 books and monographs and has edited 12 books on topics ranging from women's issues, immigration, criminology, and transracial adoption. Most recently, she edited Neither Victim Nor Enemy: Women's Freedom Network Looks At Gender In America, a collection of papers by leading writers and feminist writers on the status of U.S. gender relations. Other books include: Women's Movement in America: Their Achievements, Disappointments and Aspirations with Gloria Danziger (1991), Rabbis, Lawyers, Immigrants and Thieves: Women's Roles in America, The Crimes Women Commit, The Punishments They Receive, with Jean Landis, and The American Jury. She recently released The Case For Transracial Adoption, with Howard Altstein and Marygold Melli, based on the results of a 20-year study of transracial adoptions. Professor Simon's work has been published in The Washington Times, New York Times and Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. She has also discussed her research and social policy issues on programs such as Good Morning America, Today Show, CBS This Morning among others. In addition to her work on women's issues, Professor Simon has written widely on her research on the American Jury System and on U.S. immigration policy.

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