An article in the New York Times states that on April 25, 2024, Harvey Weinstein’s New York conviction was overturned in a 4-3 decision on the basis that the disgraced Hollywood producer did not receive a “fair trial.” In an interview, the founder of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burke, argues that some progress has been made with the conviction of men like Weinstein. Although she maintains that celebrity cases are not only the marker of the movement’s success, she also underscores that “victory for the movement should be measured by focusing on the wellbeing of survivors.” The recent discourse surrounding #MeToo and its emphasis on celebrity cases suggests that now more than ever, the focus needs to shift, especially given recent comments made by actors like Kevin Spacey, who calls it “unfair” and “gone too far.” The focus on survivorship has been the cornerstone of the #MeToo movement, where issues of spectralized bodies and gender justice have become central to understanding the impact and influence of such protest narratives. This can be viewed as a critical juncture to rethink the scope of the feminist movement and understand where we see the movement today and where it is headed. We invite papers that examine the future of the #MeToo movement and propose novel ways of addressing how it can effectively serve victim-survivors. Papers can address themes such as decolonizing feminist movements, women’s bodies during times of war and crisis, oppositional narratives, digital activism, and transnational feminism, among others.

Please submit your 300-word abstract and bio with the following link by 9/30:

https://cfplist.com/nemla/User/SubmitAbstract/21246

Please email co-chairs:

Dr Nidhi Shrivastava, Sacred Heart University (shrivastavan@sacredheart.edu), Dr Ruma Sinha, Rider University (rsinha@rider.edu)