This roundtable asks participants to engage with and present the new directions in feminist pedagogy that inevitably emerged in the past two years (2020-2022) during the coronavirus pandemic, but also beyond it. In the words of Kevin M. Gannon in the book Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto, “Teaching is a radical act of hope. It is an assertion of faith in a better future in an increasingly uncertain and fraught present. It is a commitment to that future even if we can’t clearly discern its shape. It is a continuing pedagogical practice rather than a set of static characteristics” (5). Grounded in feminism, this roundtable asks participants to present their innovations in pedagogy across a spectrum of challenges.

We ask: how does contemporary feminist pedagogy confront the challenges inherent in a post-truth era and a divided political body; take on the work of anti-racism; and adapt to the monumental shift online during the coronavirus pandemic...all while honoring feminist principles?

With the inauguration of President Biden, the past year saw the end of the Trump presidency (for now), even as the legitimacy of the Biden administration was challenged on January 6, 2021. The nation, as a result, seems more polarized than ever, and so does the student body, particularly in so-called “red states.” We ask: what does it mean to engage in feminist pedagogy in a post-Trump era?

The past two years have also seen the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes and the recognition of police violence against Black and brown bodies. We ask: is feminist pedagogy inherently anti-racist? How have committed instructors in the college managed, encouraged, or reflected the activism of the street? How have the feminist instructors of NeMLA honored intersectional approaches in their classrooms?

We welcome abstracts (250 words) that respond to any of the questions given above.