CFP: Indian Association for Women's Studies

From: "Sumi Krishna"<sumi_krishna2002@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, November 6, 2007
Subject: [invites] 20nov[d]

CFP: Indian Association for Women's Studies

Apologies for cross-posting

'Feminism, Education and the Transformation of Knowledges: Processes and Institutions'
Lucknow: 7-10 Feb 2008

The Indian Association for Women's Studies is a professional association that aims to further the perspectives of women's studies within and beyond educational institutions. It endeavours to strengthen the movement for women's equality through networking, conferences, workshops and research, and through collaboration with institutions and groups working for similar objectives. IAWS provides a forum for interaction among students, researchers, academics and practitioners in different fields, both men and women.

IAWS completed 25 years in 2007. The XIIth National Conference is planned as a Silver Jubilee event to commemorate this significant landmark. The four-day conference is being organised in collaboration with the Institute of Women's Studies, University of Lucknow, and Isabella Thoburn College . It will be held at both these venues during 7-10 February 2008.

The Silver Jubilee provides a special opportunity to confront the challenges facing the women's studies movement today. The broad theme of the Conference is to reflect upon the interventions ofwomen's studies and feminism as forces of transformation in the sphere of knowledge roduction across diverse institutions and contexts. Through its invited plenary panels and participatory sub-themes, the Con ference will be an occasion to deliberate on the past, present and possible futures of women's studies as a progressive force of and for change.

INVITED PLENARIES
Madhuri Shah Memorial lecture: Education and Educational Policy for the 21st Century

I: Interventions in Education: This theme plenary will focus on the different dimensions of gender and women's studies in relation to education. The CORD team (Anuradha De, Claire Noronha and Meera Samson) will revisit the 'Probe Report' on schooling and the education problems of the disadvantaged in India and V. Geetha will speak on pedagogic interventions in the classroom. Tejaswini Niranjana will discuss higher education and new pedagogies, Jaya Sharma non-formal education, and Maitreyi Krishnaraj revisit the founding moment of women's studies.

II: Special Panel on U.P. and Women's Issues: This special panel is being organised by the Women's Studies Institute of the University of Lucknow and will draw in scholars from Uttar Pradesh on issues of current concern to women in the state.

III: Fields of Knowledge: Women's Studies and feminism have been sources of critique of existing bodies of knowledge as well as contributing to a transformed understanding of the issues at stake. This plenary will offer examples of such interrogation and interventions in the following broad areas: Padmini Swaminathan on development and the economy, Janaki Nair on history, Abha Sur on science, Rajeshwari Sunder Rajan on literature and Pratiksha Bakshi on the law.

IV: Special Panel: Women and Knowledge Production in South Asia: In keeping with the IAWS practice of networking with women's studies scholars in the South Asian region, this panel will draw in speakers from the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri
Lanka. Uma Chakravarti will moderate and introduce the panel, including Rubina Saigal, Suraya Begum and Anoja Wickramasinghe.

V: Contemporary Challenges and Perspectives: This panel will assess the questions, dilemmas and challenges facing the women's movement and
women's studies at this point in the history of our region. Each speaker while addressing general issues from the perspective of her regional and
general location will enter them through special vantage points: Anita Ghai (disability), Susie Tharu (caste), Ponni Arasu (sexuality) and Nighat Said Khan (South Asia). Nivedita Menon will introduce and moderate the panel.

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SUB THEMES: Participants may present papers in nine sub-themes.
The brochure will soon be available on the website http://www.iaws.org/ In the meanwhile, please send requests for the Concept Notes of the respective sub-theme to the coordinators (contact details below), or write to the conference secretariat conference.iaws@gmail.com for an
e-copy of the Conference Brochure and for the Registration Forms.

1: Issues of Gender and Development: Perspectives and Conflicts
Coordinators: M. Indira, Reader, Department of Economics, University of Mysore, Manasgangotri,Mysore - 570 006 (Karnataka);
Tel: 0821-2419533(O), Fax: 0821-2419363; E-mail: mahindira@yahoo.com
Sandeep Joshi, Senior Fellow, M.P. Institute of Social Sciences Research, 6, Bharatpuri Institutional Area, Dewas Road, Ujjain - 456010 (M.P.); Tel: 0734-2524645/ 2510978 (O), Fax: 0734-2512450, E-mail: rishinagar@yahoo.co.uk

2: Feminism and Knowledges of Violence
Coordinators: A. Suneetha, Anveshi Research Centre for Women's Studies, 2-2-19/48 Durgabai Deshmukh Colony, Bhagambarpet, Hyderabad 500013; Tel: 040-27423690/ 27407431 (O), Fax: 27423168.E-mail: suneethaasrv@gmail.com
Vasudha Nagaraj, Anveshi, E-mail: vasudhanagaraj13@gmail.com
Bindu K.C., Anveshi, E-mail: bindu.kc@gmail.com

3: Rethinking Feminist Methodologies in Contemporary Research
Coordinators: S. Anandhi, Assoc. Prof., Madras Inst of Development Studies, 79, Second Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai-600020; Tel:
044-2441 5774/ -2589/ -2295 / 9771 Ext: 337 , Fax: 044-24910872; Email: anandhister@gmail.com
Meera Velayudhan, Centre for Environment and Social Concerns, C-22, Amaltas Appt., B/H Fun Republic Cinema, Satellite, Ahmedabad 380015
(Gujarat); Tel: 079-40026747; E-mail: meera_velayudhan@hotmail.com

4: Interface between Action and Research
Coordinators: Seema Kulkarni, Gender Unit, SOPPECOM, 16, Kale Park, Someshwarwadi Road, Pashan, Pune – 411008 (Maharashtra); Tel: 020-2588 0786; Fax: 020 2588 6542; E-mail: feminism.soppecom@gmail.com
seemakulkarni@vsnl.net , soppecom@vsnl.com
Swatija Manorama, (FORUM and Marathamoli), 9 Sarvesh, Co-operative society, Govind nagar opposite Satguru Garden complex, Thane (E) 4000603, Maharashtra; Tel: 022 25324538; E-mail swatija@gmail.com , marathmoli@gmail.com

5: Gender, Science and Technology
Coordinators: Gita Chadha, (Assoc.Prof, Russell Square International College), 107 Bhaskara, TIFR Housing Complex, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai - 400005; Tel: 022-22804897; E-mail: gita_chadha@hotmail.com
Ridhi Shah, Prof., School of Physical Sciences (SPS), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Mehrauli Road,New Delhi 110067; Tel: 011 26717507;
E-mail: rshah@mail.jnu.ac.in

6: Generating New Knowledge around Sexualities and Genders
Coordinators: LABIA (Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action) a nd Meena Gopal, Sr Lecturer Research Centre for Women's Studies, SNDT Women's
University, Mumbai- 400 049, Tel: 022-26610751; Email: 4meena@gmail.com , stree.sangam@gmail.com

7: Pedagogies, Schooling, Gender Studies
This sub-theme has two components: Sub-theme 7A focuses more closely on questions of schooling, while Sub-theme 7B looks at other sites of the educational system both formal and non-formal.

A: Building Feminist Perspectives on Gender and School Education: Critiques, Challenges and New Directions
Coordinators: Nandini Manjrekar, Centre for Studies in Sociology and Education, Tata Inst of Social Sciences, VN Purav Marg, Deonar,
Mumbai 400088; Tel: 022- 25563290 Ext. 306, Fax: 022-25562912; Email: nandini@tiss.edu , nandini.manjrekar@gmail.com
Nirantar, Centre for Gender and Education, B-64, Second Floor, Sarvodya Enclave, New Delhi 110017; Tel: 011 26966334; Fax: 011 26517726; Email: nirantar@vsnl.com

B: Exploring Pedagogies for Gender Studies
Coordinator: Rekha Pappu, 304 Divya Enclave, 2-5-34 Vijaypuri Colony, Tarnaka, Secunderabad – 500017; Tel: 040-27016620;
rekhapappu@yahoo.com

8: Tribe, Caste and Minority: Structures And Exclusions
Coordinators: Manorama Sharma, Prof. Dept of History, North Eastern Hill University,Shillong – 793022 (Meghalaya); Tel: 0364-2723008/
2551484; E-mail: manorama50in@gmail.com
Sutapa Sengupta, Dept of Geography, St. Mary's College, Shillong – 793003;
Tel: 0364-2221484, E-mail: sutapaed@gmail.com

9: Language, Literature and Cultural Production
Coordinator: Mitra Parekh, A 102, Sumeru, Four Bungalows, MHADA, SVP Nagar, Andheri West, Mumbai 400053; Tel: 9819756275; E-mail:
tramitra@gmail.com

9 continued: Political Perceptions in Women's Writings
Coordinator: Sarmistha Dutta Gupta, (Sachetana and Ebong Alap), 158/2A Prince Anwar Shah Road, Kolkata 700045; Tel: 033-247277758
E-mail: sarmistha91@yahoo.com , ebongalap@yahoo.co.uk
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Participation is open to all those who register for the Conference.
IAWS Membership is optional but we strongly urge participants, who are not yet members, to join the association. The subscription details and
membership form are included in the brochure and are also available on the IAWS website: http://www.iaws.org/

Paper Presentation: If you would also like to present a paper in one of the sub-themes, kindly prepare an abstract of about 500 words, which should be sent to the Sub-theme coordinator concerned, preferably by e-mail, by 20, NOVEMBER 2007 Acceptance will be communicated by 5 DECEMBER, 2007. Following acceptance of abstracts, Sub-theme coordinators will communicate with you regarding paper presentation. Abstracts will be published as part of the conference proceedings.

Registering for the Conference : Deadline: 20 DECEMBER 2007
Registration for Students (with proof of student status): Rs.100
Registration for Local Participants: Rs.200
Registration for Outstation Participants: Rs.500
Regn for Outstation Participants after 20 Dec. 2007: Rs.600

Completed Conference Registration Forms and Membership Forms along with Cheques or Demand Drafts drawn in favour of the 'Indian Association for Women's Studies' should be sent to Mary John, General Secretary, at the following address: IAWS Central Office and XIIth Conference Secretariat, C/o Centre for Women's Development Studies, 25 Bhai Vir Singh Marg, New Delhi 110001; Tel: 011-23345530, 23365541 Fax: 011-23346044; Conference E-mail: conference.iaws@gmail.com
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Provisional Conference Programme :

Day One: Thursday, 7 th February
11 a.m . Venue: Isabella Thoburn College Auditorium Inauguration Felicitation of Founder members President's Address
                 Madhuri Shah Memorial Lecture Vote of Thanks by General Secretary
2:00 pm Plenary I: Interventions in Education
            Plenary II : Special Panel on U.P. and Women's Issues

Day Two: Friday, 8th February (Venue: University of Lucknow)
9 a.m.   Sub-themes (parallel sessions)
4 p.m.   Plenary III: Fields of Knowledge

Day Three: Saturday, 9 th February
9 a.m. Sub-themes (continued)
3 p.m. Plenary IV: Special Panel on South Asia and Women's Studies
6 p.m. General Body Meeting

Day Four: Sunday, 10 th February
9 a.m. Plenary V : Contemporary Challenges
11:30 am Sub-theme Reports
Valedictory and Vote of Thanks

The Conference will also include relevant cultural events/ exhibitions, besides film and other visual presentations, and the display of publications and local handicrafts.

Sumi Krishna
President, IAWS
iawspresident@gmail.com