Archive
2007
Towards a Vision of Sexual and Economic Justice
Josephine Ho and Naomi Klein
Sexual oppression and economic oppression are inextricably linked, but the movements that address each of these issues are not similarly intertwined. Contemporary movements for global economic justice, for example, tend to shy away from sexuality issues, while campaigns for sexual rights rarely foreground economic concerns. In some spheres, however, the gap is beginning to close. […]
Read MoreWomen, Minorities, and Interdisciplinarity: Transforming the Research Enterprise
Diana Rhoten and Stephanie Pfirman
In the U.S., amid fears of a shrinking scientific workforce and the dulling competitive edge it brings, universities, as well as federal and local programs, have pushed to expand interdisciplinary research. The reason? To attract to the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering the very people who have, historically, been discouraged from practicing them, namely […]
Read MoreFreedom on Our Terms: A New Agenda for Women and Girls
In 1977, over 20,000 people gathered in Houston, Texas at the National Women’s Conference to evaluate gender discrimination in America and to develop recommendations for reform. Never before had such a diverse group of women gathered in one place to share the realities of their lives, educating each other about the unique challenges they faced […]
Read MoreSexuality, Religion, and Politics
Keynote by Michael Warner
Over the last several decades, conservative, politicized religious movements have proliferated around the world, successfully resisting secularist establishments and “liberal” culture, and mobilizing to re-impose various forms of patriarchal order. The trend is apparent across the globe, from the backlash over feminism and sexual liberation in the United States to the potentially schismatic revolt in […]
Read MoreReconstructing Womanhood: A Future Beyond Empire
Keynote by Hazel Carby
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of Hazel Carby’s Reconstructing Womanhood, a touchstone of scholarship in the fields of Literary and Cultural Studies, African Diaspora Studies, Gender Studies, and Post-Colonial Studies. With a one-day symposium on November 2, BCRW joins the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at Columbia University, the […]
Read MoreAin’t I American? Women, Human Rights, and U.S. Identity in the 21st Century
Dorothy Q. Thomas
Where would our society be without the contributions of countless women who’ve worked so tirelessly to secure our rights? On Tuesday, October 30, activist, author, advisor, and strategist Dorothy Q. Thomas invites us to reflect on this question as she delivers the fourth annual Helen Pond McIntyre ’48 Lecture. As a means of tracing the […]
Read MoreGender and Migration in a Global Perspective: Difficult Dialogues
Dominating recent domestic policy discussions, migration has proven to be one of the most difficult and controversial political topics of our time. With last March’s memorable Scholar & Feminist Conference, the Barnard Center for Research on Women endeavored to create a dialogue around immigration that takes into account the oft-overlooked issues of gender and sexuality. […]
Read MoreEgypt’s Human Rights Groups: Assessing Their Political Impact
Mona El-Ghobashy
When the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) and like-minded groups came into existence over twenty years ago, some hailed the groups as pillars of “civil society,” and the best hope for grassroots democratic transformation within an authoritarian regime. Others argued that these same organizations are nothing more than smokescreens deployed by authoritarian elites to […]
Read MoreManifest Your Destiny: Find the Courage to Defy Convention and Create a Life Worth Living
Loolwa Khazzoom '91
Since her activist days at Barnard College, Loolwa Khazzoom ’91 has followed her passion in building an unconventional career with a DIY (Do It Yourself) attitude. A self-taught Jewish multicultural educator, freelance writer, dance therapist, and singer/songwriter, she has presented and performed at leading venues, including the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Harvard University, and she […]
Read MoreYoung, Queer, and Organized
Q-Team and FIERCE!
FIERCE! and Q-team may be located on opposite sides of the country, but they couldn’t be closer in working to empower young queer and trans youth of color and building broader, more inclusive social justice movements. On Thursday, October 4, members from each of these impressive grassroots organizations, including Q-team’s Ned del Callejo, come together […]
Read MoreThe Storytelling Project: A Model for Teaching About Race and Racism Through Storytelling and the Arts
Lee Anne Bell
Stories are powerful vehicles for addressing race and racism, says Barnard Professor of Education Lee Anne Bell. In conjunction with a diverse team of artists, teachers, university faculty and students, she has developed a unique educational model that uses storytelling to help high school students understand and deal effectively with race issues. From the group’s […]
Read MoreEchoes of Life: Developing Ultrasound Technologies
Beryl Benacerraf '71
Obstetric ultrasound has proven such a valuable diagnostic tool since the late 1950s that it’s become a cornerstone of monitoring fetal development. Revolutionary innovations continue to transform the field, providing both doctors and pregnant women with an astounding and ever-increasing array of information about the fetuses they care for. On Tuesday, September 18, Beryl Benacerraf […]
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