[Commlist] Cfp: Media and trans/national feminisms in Europe and beyond

*Rewired and revamped? *

Media and trans/national feminisms in Europe and beyond

*//*

*11-12 May 2023 *

Tampere University, Finland

This symposium draws attention to the current debates on media’s role in 
shaping and popularizing contemporary feminisms ranging from celebrity 
feminism to neo-liberal and post-feminism (Rottenberg et al 2020). It 
underscores the role of popular culture and media as sites of feminism 
and (subversive) feminist struggle. The symposiumacknowledges the 
intrinsic plurality of the ways in which feminism can be practiced and 
theorized in the 21^st  century within digital media and in various 
socio-political contexts. Importantly,it seeks to contribute to the 
scholarship which challenges the West-centric normative mainstream 
feminist models (e.g., see Tlostanova 2018) and provides a space for a 
diversity of voices and feminist positions. Foremost, the event is aimed 
at bridging a gap in empirical and theoretical understanding of feminism 
between various academic traditions (Anglo-American, post-Socialist, 
postcolonial).

The symposium is informed by the current geopolitical tensions in 
Europe. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a rapid transformation 
of mediated feminisms in the region. We have witnessed a 
‘diasporization’ of the feminist movement, and fragmentation of feminist 
academic networks as a consequence of political oppression, as well as 
an emergence of new feminist networks and activist hubs in different 
parts of the world.Feminist groups and media celebrities have adopted 
new media strategies to connect with the precarious communities within 
the conflict zones as well as to maintain their regular audience, 
ratings, and revenues elsewhere. These actions take place within the 
neoliberal digital economy with its lack of algorithmic transparency and 
constantly increasing regulation, precarity (e.g., the use of banned 
social networks via VPN), and militarization.

Against this background, we argue that the shifting media affordances 
and geopolitical upheavals reinvigorate the feminist movement 
potentially leading to an overhaul of the existingstereotypes related to 
feminism (such as feminists as antifamily, antifamine, radical, etc.) 
and allowing for complex trans/national feminist connections. If this is 
the case, what does this rupture mean for the role of the celebrity 
feminism? What sort of feminist sensibilities and solidarities are 
emerging today in Europe and beyond?

Two confirmed keynote speakers for the event are *Prof. Laurie 
Essig* (Middlebury College, USA) and*Prof. Catherine 
Rottenberg* (University of Nottingham, UK).

The organizers particularly invite submissions, which explore mediated 
feminisms in non-western settings and from a standpoint of gender, 
feminism, area, cultural, media studies, history, literature and other 
related disciplines. The submissions can be both theoretical and 
practice-based involving original research and using a variety of 
methods, such as digital ethnographies, interviews, audience research, 
etc.**

The symposium welcomes submission covering one or several themes 
outlined below:

**

  * *Transnational feminism, post-colonial feminism *
  * *Media, feminist solidarities and dis/unity *
  * *Media, celebrities, and their ‘use’ of feminism*
  * *Celebrity feminism *
  * *Feminist celebrities and their audiences *
  * *Feminist movements, activism and the media*
  * *Anti-war resistance and the media. Resilience in changing contexts*
  * *Academic and other feminisms: from popular, networked to glitch
    feminism *
  * *Feminism in historical perspective: Historical parallels (women in
    black, feminism and ecological movement, anti-nuclear, etc.) *
  * *Post-Soviet feminists in new Europe*
  * *Feminism and gender in/equality, gender regimes and social upheavals*
  * *Creative industries and feminist producers/prosumers. Popular
    cultural and various digital productions *
  * *New feminist aesthetics*

*Submissions *

We welcome submissions from early career researchers, PhD students, 
established academics, as well as practitioners and activists.Other 
forms of submissions, i.e., creative projects, film screenings, etc. 
should be discussed in advance with the organizers.

Abstract between 300 and 400 words should be submitted _no later than 
1^st  December (2022_tofemcorus /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(femcorus /at/ gmail.com)>.Decisions will be relayed by 10^th  January 
2023. When sending your abstract, please indicate whether you would like 
your paper to be considered for publication in an edited volume.We also 
welcome proposals for joint panels. Please include a brief rationale for 
the panel along with an abstract and CV for each presenter.In case of 
any further inquiries, please (emailfemcorus /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(femcorus /at/ gmail.com)>

The working language of the conference is English. The symposium will be 
an in-person event with the keynotes and several designated sessions 
also available in a blended format.

Thissymposium is held as part of the Academy of Finland-funded research 
project/Mediated Feminism(s) in Contemporary Russia/ (FEMCORUS 
<http://femcorus.org/>, 2021–25) hosted by Tampere University, Finland. 
Attendance is free of charge.Please note that a limited pool of funding 
is available to cover travel costs of PhD student participants and early 
career scholars in precarious position and participants from Ukraine.

Organizing committee:

Galina Miazhevich

Saara Ratilainen

Daniil Zhaivoronok

Alisa Virtanen



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