About Conference

Women’s studies is an academic field that draws on associative methods in order to place women’s lives and experiences at the center of study while researching historical constructs of gender; status of oppression and privilege; and the relationships between power and gender. Usually, women’s studies include feminist theory, transnational feminism, social justice, embodiment, multiculturalism, standpoint theory, or similar. Furthermore, it questions and researches different norms and practices of sexuality, social class, and inequality, nation-building, globalization, and race which are shaped by broader structural forces in historical and current contexts with an emphasis on women’s lives and perspectives.

Women’s studies as an academic field had its roots in second-wave feminism and originated as a contraposition to a male-dominated, male-centered, and defined world. At an early stage, female academics started to question – “Why are women not included in the heart of science? Where are the women?” The more women became active in higher education the stronger they questioned the male-centric nature of most courses and curricula. Obviously, men were representing the whole of society – and primarily white western men. Women featured only briefly – in most of the disciplines. As a consequence, female researchers started to offer courses with a focus on women, firstly in traditional departments, for example, history. Stage by stage, academic courses began to develop around sexual politics, women’s roles in society, and the ways in which women’s personal lives reflect larger power structures where primary men had an ability to produce and maintain power structures within society. At the core of new theories was founded the notion that gender, sex, and sexuality are not intrinsic, but are socially constructed. This led to the term “social justice” because the core of the problem was not on the individual level, but for the whole of society. This emergence of feminism changed the picture of academic sciences and as an effect today Women’s studies courses are offered globally in more than forty countries.

Feminism has changed academia and had an impact on a variety of academic disciplines. Furthermore, feminism includes and encourages activism outside of the classroom setting as well. Some women’s studies programs offer work practices that are community-based allowing students the ability to experience how institutional structures of privilege and status directly affect women’s lives. Broadly speaking, women’s studies could be incorporated into a variety of topics, including public service, popular culture, practices of advertising, journalism, women in the economy, reproductive and environmental justice, women’s and social health.

Our conference aim is to encourage research and discussions about Women’s studies. Our event will highlight women’s contribution to culture and history alongside critical analysis and theorization of the meanings assigned to the category ‘woman’ in philosophical, social, cultural, and historical thought.