6th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WOMEN’S STUDIES: How Far Have We Got?
18.01.2020.
Leeds, United Kingdom
Venue: Queens Hotel, City Square, Leeds, LS1 1PJ
CFP: PANEL ON THE #METOO MOVEMENT
#MeToo movement has redefined sexual harassment by taking on to abusers and exposing them. In addition, this movement raised awareness on sexual harassment many women face, in the entertainment industry but also elsewhere in the working world. Thus, the panel has also demonstrated how patriarchal expectations of women being confined to the private sphere are still there, and many women who try to have a career face sexism and sexual harassment.
The movement started in 2017 and it still continues. In 2018, a hashtag #Churchtoo was launched to raise awareness of sexual violence which happens in churches. In addition, the movement inspired changes to work policies such as diversity policies and the gender gap and has led towards the removal of some prominent academics at the University of California who were having sexual relations with students and who were harassing other staff members.
However, some came forward to criticise the movement by saying that it focuses too much on women and as such empowers even bad women who file accusations against the men they hate. Thus, some started to use hashtag #HimToo, but this hashtag was used also by supporters of #metoo to point a finger towards abusers. The #metoo movement, however, invited men to speak against the harassment and stated that the movement is for everyone, however, this remains undefined.
Tarana Burke stated, in response to criticism, that the goal of the movement is to get rid of all violence and change policies. In a statement to Business Insider, she said: “#MeToo is essentially about survivors supporting survivors. And it's really about community healing and community action. Although we can't define with healing looks like for people, we can set the stage and give people the resources to have access to healing. And that means legitimate things like policies and laws that change that support survivor. For instance, there are rape kits across the country that need to be tested, so that the survivors who were assaulted can find some sort of justice through that system. What are the policies that are in place in the local school around vetting teachers? People at work can organize, take and examine your sexual harassment policy.”(https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-metoo-movement-started-where-its-headed-tarana-burke-time-person-of-year-women-2017-12?r=US&IR=T).
Since the movement has been criticised by feminists and non-feminists alike, this panel is, therefore, calling for papers from both perspectives in an attempt to instigate debate and meet a goal Tarana Burke proposed, and that is changing the policies so that harassment stops happening altogether.
Papers are invited (but not limited to) from scholars and activities on the following topics,
#metoo movement: genesis and history of the movement
Initiatives on sexual harassment: case studies
Sexual harassment of women: research and practical case studies
Women and sexual harassment
Women and violence
Women and work discrimination
What’s next for #metoo?
The patriarchal expectation of women and men: case studies and theoretical perspectives.
Prospective participants are also welcome to submit proposals for their own panels. Both researchers and practitioners are welcome to submit paper proposals.
Submissions of abstracts (up to 500 words) with an email contact should be sent to Dr Martina Topić (martinahr@gmail.com) by 15 October 2019. Decisions will be sent by 1 November 2019 and registrations are due by 15 December 2019. In case we collect enough abstracts earlier, we will send decisions earlier.
The Conference fee is GBP180, and it includes,
The registration fee
Conference bag and folder with materials
Access to the newsletter, and electronic editions of the Centre
Opportunity for participating in future activities of the Centre (research & co-editing volumes)
Meals and drinks
WLAN during the conference
Certificate of attendance
Centre for Research in Humanities and Social Sciences is a private institution originally founded in December 2013 in Croatia (EU). Since July 2016 the Centre is registered in Leeds, UK.
Participants are responsible for finding funding to cover transportation and accommodation costs during the whole period of the conference. This applies to both presenting and non-presenting participants. The Centre will not discriminate based on the origin and/or methodological/paradigmatic approach of prospective conference participants.
Visa Information
The Centre will issue a Visa letter to participants with UK entry clearance requirement. The British Home Office has a very straightforward procedure, which is not excessively long and the Centre will also issue early decisions to participants with Visa requirements.
Dr Martina Topic