Some Indexical You: Gender in the Twenty-First Century

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University of Ulster/Sibeal Postgraduate Network

Some Indexical You: Gender in the Twenty-First Century

7th-8th November 2014, University of Ulster, Belfast Campus, in association with Sibéal Irish Postgraduate Feminist and Gender Studies Network , and the UU Research Graduate School

'If I survive, it is only because my life is nothing without the life that exceeds me, that refers to some indexical you, without whom I cannot be.' (Judith Butler).

Understandings of gender and sexuality in Northern Ireland (as in the rest of the world) are rapidly changing. What were once believed to be fixed gender and sexual identities have been proven instead to be fluctuating spectrums of gender fluidity. This opportunity for freedom from fixed roles has (re)ignited discourses on morality, rights, duties and individualism. The rise of contemporary feminism aided by social media, alongside recent campaigns for LGBTQ rights, have sparked engaging and innovative debates surrounding what gender and sexual identity truly signify, and the rights, beliefs and falsities connected with biological and social stereotyping.

Gender in the Twenty-first Century is a two day conference that aims to examine these issues, exploring not only the interdisciplinary implications of gender and sexuality studies for higher education but, perhaps more importantly, the social implications that such change brings to our communities.

Potential abstracts may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

The body
Gender fluidity
Capitalism, consumerism and neoliberalism
The intersections of gender, race, class and sexual identity
Sexual taboo, fetish and perversion
Reproductive rights
Representation of gender, race, class and sexual identity in literature and film
Identity politics

We particularly welcome PhD students and Early Career Researchers

Proposed keynote speakers: Dawn Purvis, Director of Marie Stopes (NI), and Dr Lisa Fitzpatrick, Senior Lecturer in Drama at the School of Creative Arts, University of Ulster

Deadline for abstract: 1st August 2014

Email an abstract of 200–300 words and a 100 word biography (which must include your title, institutional affiliation and email address) to genderstudiesulster@gmail.com

Decisions will be made by September 2014.

Information to follow regarding conference fee, conference dinner, and possible publication

Blog at www.genderstudiesulster.wordpress.com