[ecrea] CfP: Sonic Cyberfeminisms

**

*CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS:*

*SONIC CYBERFEMINISMS *

*UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN, UK *

*5-6th MAY 2017*

*DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: 12 FEBRUARY 2017*

In recent years, the relationship between sound, gender and technology 
has gained increasing attention. There have been a number of artist 
networks, archives and educational initiatives established in the hope 
of tackling the gendered exclusions from and disparities within the 
technocentric fields of electronic music, audio production and sound 
arts. Many of these projects can be understood to share some of the 
concerns and ideals of cyberfeminism. Emerging in the early 1990s, 
cyberfeminism sought to explore the potentials and possibilities of 
technology, computing and Cyberspace for feminist praxis. However, to 
talk of cyberfeminism or indeed a cyberfeminist ethos in the singular is 
something of a misnomer: we consider it more appropriate to speak of 
plural cyberfeminisms, with various agendas, methods, perspectives and 
priorities.

Whilst many of these recent initiatives have been aimed at increasing 
the visibility of women in sound technology and computing-related 
fields, for many, the debates around improving representation of gender 
reveals disparities around what feminist agendas are being pursued. Is 
the lack of women and girls in audio technology a problem only to be 
fixed by increasing participation? Or is there a danger of “leaning in” 
to a regime of white supremacist, imperialist, capitalist 
hetero-patriarchy (to use bell hooks’ augmented phrase)? Revisiting 
Faith Wilding’s question of the political strategy of cyberfeminism, it 
is timely to ask – where is the feminism in sonic cyberfeminisms?

Sonic Cyberfeminisms will provide an opportunity to critically reflect 
upon and, in doing so, contribute to current activism and debates 
concerning sound, gender and technology. The 2-day event follows on from 
an online reading group, ‘Decolonizing Sonic Cyberfeminisms’ and a panel 
discussion ‘Doing Sonic Cyberfeminisims’ that took place in 2016.

*Questions to explore include:*

• In what ways might current activism around sound, gender and 
technology be understood as a continuation of the cyberfeminist 
project(s) – for better or for worse?

• What might cyberfeminism(s) bring to current activism around gender, 
sound and technology and vice versa?

• How does current activism around sound, gender and technology continue 
to be centred on issues of white, middle-class women? How and when do 
issues of race and coloniality play out in these fields?

• How does the notion of technology manifest itself in contemporary 
discussions of gender? What are the problems and possibilities of 
framing gendered struggles/activism in relation to technology? What 
(racialized, classed,

gendered, geopolitical) perspectives does this prioritize and minimize?

• What specifically about sonic or musical practices does 
thinking/acting through sound afford for feminist politics? How might 
this be realised in practice?

• Is it possible to decolonize sonic cyberfeminisms? How might this be 
enacted?

• How might cyberfeminisms transform our understandings of sonic 
technologies?

*We would like to invite contributions that address these questions. 
Proposed contributions may take the following formats: *

• 20 minute research papers

• 10 minute standpoint papers (these can be more polemical, performative 
and/or outline emerging ideas)

• Workshop proposals*

• Performances** (between 10-30 minutes)

* We have a very modest budget for workshop resources. Please provide 
costing estimates as part of workshop proposals.

**Please note that we are unfortunately unable to provide an artist fee 
for performance proposals, however there are some bursaries available 
(see below).



*BURSARIES*

Thanks to the generous support of the Feminist Review Trust, we have 5 
bursaries available to help cover travel, accommodation and childcare 
costs. These bursaries are worth up to £150 each. We hope that these 
bursaries will enable us to bring to Lincoln those who would not be able 
to attend otherwise due to financial restrictions.

To apply for a bursary, please provide a short (approx.. 250 word) 
statement detailing why you would like to be considered for a bursary 
and a breakdown of your estimated expenses.

For more information on how to apply, please go to 
https://soniccyberfeminisms.wordpress.com/. Any questions, please get in 
touch.


Organized by Marie Thompson (University of Lincoln) & Annie Goh 
(Goldsmiths)  in collaboration with theextra sonic practice research group..

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