Call for Contributors for January 2018 issue “From Weinstein to Moore: Sexual Predation in American Culture”
The Activist History Review invites article proposals for our January issue, “From Weinstein to Moore: Sexual Predation in American Culture.”
2017 will likely be remembered as the year when the floodgates opened. Whether we mark its beginning in 2014 with the dozens of women who spoke out against Bill Cosby’s abuse, the sixteen women who have accused President Trump of sexual assault, or the groundswell in women’s activism after the 2016 election, we are witnessing something unprecedented in 2017.
Historians of gender have long argued that the sexual exploitation of women is a central facet of American life. Women’s work has traditionally been limited to specific sectors like domestic and household labor. The conditions under which female workers toiled, often alone, made it difficult for them to mobilize for better treatment and wages. It also made them easy targets for abuse.
Today, women remain at risk. From Anita Hill and Monica Lewinsky, to the victims of Anthony Weiner, Harvey Weinstein, and Roy Moore, it is clear that the possibility of harassment and assault is a fact of life for American women. As Cecily Strong observed in a recent Saturday Night Live skit, “all of this isn’t just a scandal. It didn’t just start last week. It’s just actual reality for half of the population.” The Activist History Review invites proposals that address this reality, past and present.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
• Victimhood and masculinity
• Jokes and humor
• #MeToo campaign
• Women of color
• Pornography
• Sex and Religion
• Depictions of women in culture
• Harassment and assault in academia
• Solidarity and divisions
• Costs of speaking out
• Sexual assault in the LGBT community
• Tolerance and accountability
• Past and present whisper networks
• Backlash and men’s rights
Proposals should be no more than 250 words for articles from 1250-2000 words, and should be emailed to William Horne at horne(dot)activisthistory(at)gmail(dot)com by Monday, December 18th at 11:59 PM. Please also include a short bio of no more than 100 words.