Cfp for the III European Geographies of sexualities Conference (Rome, 16-18 September 2015)
Session title: “Intersectionality: is it time for unpacking?”
Organizers: Maria Rodó de Zárate (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona), Cesare Di Feliciantonio (Sapienza- University of Rome & KU Leuven)
The conceptualisation of intersectionality allows for theorisation about multiple and intersecting oppressions and has been one of the most important contributions to and of feminism. This contributes to a more complex and dynamic understanding of social relations and power structures, and it acknowledges the differences between categories. It has been a shifting point for feminist research but also a very relevant concept for political struggles. Considering that oppressions intersect, how should we define political agendas? How can political subjects be defined in such framework of analysis? Intersectionality can account for the lived experience and it has important implications with regards to the analysis of the production of space and power. However, conceptual limitations have been applied to intersectionality especially because of its ambiguity, vagueness and incompleteness. What is intersecting? And what is the nature of such intersections? Several authors have also pointed out that the research on intersectionality has no methodological direction: how can we work empirically on intersectionality without reinforcing categories? How many of them should we take into account? Feminist geography has paid attention to the spatial connotation of intersectionality but the role of space in intersectional dynamics of power is still a wide field of research that needs to be explored. How can this concept be appropriated by activists in different (geo-temporal) contexts during different phases of the life path? How does space shape the ¢intersection¢ among different power structures and relations?
In this session we aim to unpack the concept of intersectionality from a spatial perspective, focusing on how space can contribute to understand intersectional dynamics of oppression and privilege and on how such conceptualization may serve as a tool for activists to both reflect on our positions and to think intersectionally on our struggles.
We invite interested people in proposing an intervention in different forms (time allowed will be of 10 minutes each in order to favour the discussion) to submit an abstract (around 200 words), via email to: [email protected] and [email protected]
Deadline for the submission of abstracts: 16 April 2015.
Session title: “Intersectionality: is it time for unpacking?”
Organizers: Maria Rodó de Zárate (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona), Cesare Di Feliciantonio (Sapienza- University of Rome & KU Leuven)
The conceptualisation of intersectionality allows for theorisation about multiple and intersecting oppressions and has been one of the most important contributions to and of feminism. This contributes to a more complex and dynamic understanding of social relations and power structures, and it acknowledges the differences between categories. It has been a shifting point for feminist research but also a very relevant concept for political struggles. Considering that oppressions intersect, how should we define political agendas? How can political subjects be defined in such framework of analysis? Intersectionality can account for the lived experience and it has important implications with regards to the analysis of the production of space and power. However, conceptual limitations have been applied to intersectionality especially because of its ambiguity, vagueness and incompleteness. What is intersecting? And what is the nature of such intersections? Several authors have also pointed out that the research on intersectionality has no methodological direction: how can we work empirically on intersectionality without reinforcing categories? How many of them should we take into account? Feminist geography has paid attention to the spatial connotation of intersectionality but the role of space in intersectional dynamics of power is still a wide field of research that needs to be explored. How can this concept be appropriated by activists in different (geo-temporal) contexts during different phases of the life path? How does space shape the ¢intersection¢ among different power structures and relations?
In this session we aim to unpack the concept of intersectionality from a spatial perspective, focusing on how space can contribute to understand intersectional dynamics of oppression and privilege and on how such conceptualization may serve as a tool for activists to both reflect on our positions and to think intersectionally on our struggles.
We invite interested people in proposing an intervention in different forms (time allowed will be of 10 minutes each in order to favour the discussion) to submit an abstract (around 200 words), via email to: [email protected] and [email protected]
Deadline for the submission of abstracts: 16 April 2015.