Call for Papers for Social Justice Feminism Conference - Deadline Apr 1st!

From UC College of Law:

Social Justice Feminism Conference - Call for Papers

"Social Justice Feminism"

University of Cincinnati College of Law

October 26-27, 2012

Keynote Speakers:

Patricia Hill Collins, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland;

Charles Phelps, Taft Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Cincinnati;

Anika Rahman, President and CEO, Ms. Foundation   

The University of Cincinnati College of Law’s Center for Race, Gender, and Social Justice seeks submissions for its upcoming 2012 conference “Social Justice Feminism.”

What is Social Justice Feminism?  It is the type of work feminist activists on the ground say that they want to do.  This desire for “social justice feminism” (SJF) emerged from a three-years’ long conversation among women leaders from national groups, grassroots organizations, academia, and beyond (the New Women’s Movement Initiative) who gathered to address dissonance in the women’s movement, particularly dissatisfaction with the movement’s emphasis on women privileged on account of their race, class, or sexuality.  In 2010, Kristin Kalsem and Verna L. Williams of the University of Cincinnati College of Law published an article, “Social Justice Feminism,” that takes initial steps at broadly defining SJF as that which is productive, constructive, and healing.  Moving from practice to theory, it suggests a new way of articulating and understanding the feminist work that is being done in this current stage of feminist jurisprudence, after the path-breaking interventions of anti-essentialism and intersectionality.  The article also sets forth methodological tools for “doing social justice feminism.” 

“Social Justice Feminism” was written to advance the conversation that has already begun, both in the world of practice as evidenced by the work of the New Women’s Movement Initiative, as well as the world of feminist legal theory.  To download a copy of the article click here.  The upcoming conference is intended to continue and expand the conversation.  We are seeking papers from academics who are interested in practice and activists who are interested in theory.  Possible panels include:

• A social justice feminist approach to women and prison
• Critical Race Feminism and SJF
• The intersections of SJF and environmental justice
• History and reproductive justice
• New approaches to domestic violence activism
• SJF and criminal justice

Deadline: April 1, 2012.  We invite submissions of abstracts for individual papers, as well as complete panels.  Send paper abstracts of no more that 500 words and a short biographical statement to lawsonmn@ucmail.uc.edu.  In the subject or “re” line of your submission, please type: SJF conference submission.  Include your full contact information, including an email, phone number, and mailing address where you can be reached.  We will notify presenters of selected papers by June 1, 2012.

We look forward to your submissions.  If you have any questions, please contact Professor Kristin Kalsem at 513.556.1220 or atkristin.kalsem@uc.edu.