[NextGenderation]
IGU Commission on gender and geography Conference
"Post-socialism, neo-liberalism [?] old and new gendered societies
and policies"
22nd -24th May 2009
Szeged-Timisoara
Hungary-Romania
This conference will be held in the year marking the 20th anniversary
of the East Central European political changes of 1989. In the past
two decades the region has hosted international conferences on the
post-socialist transition that were organised by and for feminist
scholars of different disciplines. Reflecting the marginal position
of gender studies within human geography in the post-socialist
countries, Eastern and Central European feminist geographers had very
low visibility in these discussions. For them (us) the most helpful
supporters are feminist sociologists, anthropologists, political
scientists etc. and feminist geographers living outside of post-
socialist Europe. The former groups of social scientists are dealing
already with the question whether post-socialism is still a relevant
category for research partly because of the strengthening process of
neo-liberalisation that is also attracting the interest of
geographers. Thus, it is time to put on the agenda comparing the
similarities and differences in the systems of post-socialism and neo-
liberalism through the prism of 'gender'.
The primary aim of this interdisciplinary conference is i) to provide
a platform for critical evaluation of post-socialism and neo-
liberalism from feminist perspectives ii) understanding women's and
men's everyday experiences, and iii) revealing the particular
geographies of the gender dimensions of these 'models'.
Papers are invited on the following basic themes:
The impact of political economic trends (e.g. economic restructuring,
privatisation, 'roll-back'/'roll-out' of state, the changing access
to resources, decreasing income and employment security) on
women's/men's lives in public and private spaces and different
places;
The effects of (post-)socialist/neo-liberal ideologies, cultural as
well as identity politics, and cultural conceptions of femininity and
masculinity on gender identities, women's/ men's symbolic and
material spaces and their everyday lives;
Spaces of participation and resistance under neo-liberalism/post-
socialism (e.g. struggles to guarantee social reproduction, women's
social networks, movements, and alternatives to neo-liberalism).
A discussion with gender activists at APoWeR will be organized in
Timisoara.
The Association for the Promotion of Women in Romania (APoWeR)
elaborated together with a team of 5 lawyers, prosecutors and judges
a proposal for a law on domestic violence that, after being presented
to the Romanian Parliament, was enacted in 2003. The meeting will
focus on gender issues that are part of the Romanian post-socialist
society and the experience of this NGO in coping with those issues.
Organisation
The conference will be held in Szeged (the opening plenary, and the
sessions on 22nd-23rd May) and Timisoara (closing plenary and the
discussion with gender activists on 24th May). The conference fee
(containing morning and afternoon teas both in Szeged and Timisoara,
two (cold) lunches in Szeged, one reception on 22nd, one lunch in
Timisoara and the bus transport between the two cities), all costs
125 EUR. Suggestions for accommodation (prices, addresses of hotels)
will be published in November on the following website:
http://www.rkk.hu/rendezvenyek/IGU/Call_for_Papers.pdf
Registration Form
Title: First name:
Family name:
Affiliation:
Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:
Deadline for receipt of final payment of the 125 EUR is March 1,
2009.
Methods of payment
Bank account:
Name of bank: Magyar Államkincstár (Baranya Megyei
Területi Igazgatósága Állampénztári Iroda)
Address of bank: 7621 Pécs, Apáca u. 6.
Name of account owner: MTA Regionális Kutatások Központja
Address of acc. owner: 7621 Pécs, Papnövelde u. 22.
Account Number: 10024003-01738461-00000000
Swift-Code: MANEHUHB
IBAN: HU80 1002 4003 0173 8461 0000 0000
Purpose of payment: IGU-Gender (IMPORTANT to write!!)
Bank charges are to your account.
Deadline for the submission of Abstracts is February 1, 2009.
Please complete and return this booking form together with your
payment either electronically, by fax or by mail to:
Judit Timár (Hungary) Tel/fax No: +36 66 441 801 or +36 66 328 577,
Email: timarj@???
You can also contact for information Sorina Voiculescu (Romania)
vsorina@???
