The 6th Biennial

Augusta University

Women and Gender Studies Symposium

Saturday, March 16, 2019

“Under the Gaze of Lady Liberty: Suffrage, Immigration, #MeToo”

Call for Papers

Questions of power and privilege, inclusivity and exclusivity, abuse and defense, and silence and voice have crowded the headlines of the last decade. Navigating the discourses has become variably overwhelming, confusing, or empowering depending on the listener, the day, and the headline.

This conference will explore some of the many issues related to the intersection of gender and sexuality with other identities, such as race, immigration status, religion and others We intend to open a dialogue on gender issues, including the #MeToo movement, and immigration, with its many ports and doors into the US, both historically and more recently.

* With regards to immigration, we may ask: Who are the “real” Americans? First generation or Native Americans? How long does it take to make someone American? Are doors for new immigrant Americans closing? Is the US still a promised land of religious freedom and tolerance? Is America becoming too crowded?

* Considering the dynamics of #MeToo and the dynamics of abuse and harassment and coercion, we ask: Can there ever be a relationship of equals—male, female, or LGBTQ+? Will backlash to the #MeToo movement enable further abuse? What does the future of masculinity look like? Are there new coalitions building toward political parties built on ethnic or gender identity? Will the future be one of a dark, post-human existence?

* Some Americans believe a new era of politics may give hope for a better future. Will electing more women change the political climate? Or will those women fall back on the same power toxicity that now exists? Can the principles of Restorative Justice bring more justice to our concepts of crime and rehabilitation? Will a new generation of young voters transform the political scene?

In considering all of these area, we ask: Is Lady Liberty smiling or frowning? You decide.

The symposium invites scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, activists, practitioners, community organizers to reflect on wide range of topics concerning the above mentioned issues.

We also welcome proposals from any other area related to women, gender, sexuality, family and queer studies, on any topic.

We encourage proposals for individual presentations, Pre-organized panels, Roundtable discussions, Creative work (including performance as well as static art), and Poster Presentations.

Possible topics might include but are not limited to:

* Power and privilege in politics

* Women who Run

* The current state and future of feminist and LGBTQ activism

* #MeToo and confronting rape culture

* Immigration reform as a feminist issue

* Power Toxicity – active listening, active denial

* Social justice: the hashtag era

* Intersectional identities in politics

* No Future for the Current Generation?

* Gender and #blacklivesmatter and #iammuslimtoo

* Women and access to health care

* Trans issues in healthcare

* Restorative Justice: Building bridges, not walls

* Women redefining politics

* Suffrage and media

* Elections, gender and race

* Sexual harassment and sexual abuse in and beyond Hollywood

* Cultures of misogyny in the film and media industries

Proposals are due Monday, January 7th 2019 and should include a 300 word abstract that describes the main idea of the paper, workshop, panel, poster or roundtable. It should also include the names and affiliations of all participants, and information detailing multimedia or setup needs. Submit proposals to wgst@augusta.edu. Conference details will be posted on our website: https://www.augusta.edu/pamplin/womens-gender-studies/