worldcrossings

Source: "For The Honor of the Father, the Sons and the Male Members of the Family"

2012-01-27T13:44:00.002-05:00

I've been noticing more stories about this trial of "honor killings" in Canada. Interesting to hear the cultural defense. Watch: Video on Honor Killings

Back to visit Gender Links

2011-12-08T13:06:00.001-05:00

Fanuel Hadzizi (gender justice program officer), Mercilene Machisa (GBV indicators research manager), me, and Tinashe Padare (IT Officer). All three staffers are originally from Zimbabwe.

Thanks to the generosity of Gender Links, I had access to their resources during my trip to Johannesburg. As always, CEO Colleen Lowe Morna had a packed schedule, which this time included an out-of-country trip to raise funds while I was there. A big thanks to Saeanna Chingamuka, manager of the Gender and Media Diversity Center, for her time and help. My visit concluded with a presentation and discussion of my current research.

Eleanor Kasrils, the "Unlikely Secret Agent"

2011-12-07T14:49:00.001-05:00

I continue being fascinated with the underground struggle against apartheid, partly because it was underground and not much information is available to those who didn't participate. Currently on the bookshelves in South Africa is a book titled "The Unlikely Secret Agent," written by Ronnie Kasrils about his wife Eleanor (2010, Jacana Media). She died on November 8, 2009.

Earlier, Ronnie Kasrils had written his autobiography, "Armed and Dangerous," which apparently became a bestseller. I haven't read that book. Ronnie Kasrils played an important role in the anti-apartheid struggle, the transition to the new democracy and the first years of the ANC government, in which he served as a minister from 1994-2008.

Anyway, the book is a really quick read. The main event described by Ronnie Kasrils is the arrest and detention of Eleanor by the Security Branch on August 19, 1963, in Durban. Under new legislation, Act 37 of 1963, called the "Ninety-day Detention Act," police could arrest and detain citizens without charging them for three months. I believe this period could be repeated, if police wanted to do so.

Eleanor fights bravely against the rude and crude policemen, and she goes on a hunger strike to protest her detention. Eventually, she manages to get admitted into Fort Napier, a state psychiatric institution, from where she escapes. Kasrils details their exit from South Africa to Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (now Tanzania).

For me, the book falls flat after their arrival in Tanzania. I understand that Ronnie Kasrils wanted to focus on the Fort Napier incident, but in his eulogy to Eleanor (also included in the book), we learn that she was the first women to join the ANC's military wing, that she worked closely with Oliver Tambo, and that she lived and worked for many years in exile in London. Instead of all the detail included in the arrest and escape of Eleanor, I think the book should have covered more of her life but in less detail.

IAMCR conference 2012, Durban

2011-12-04T21:44:00.001-05:00

The International Association for Media and Communication Research's 2012 conference will be held in Durban, South Africa, July 15-19. The conference theme is "South-North Conversations." More info available at http://www.iamcr2012.ukzn.ac.za/. I encourage all my colleagues and friends to attend!

Masculinity in South Africa

2011-11-29T11:49:00.001-05:00

Mbuyiselo Botha

During my recent visit to South Africa, I had the privilege of meeting Mbuyiselo Botha, government and media relations manager at the Sonke Gender Justice Network.

We had a stimulating conversation about the meaning of manhood and questions of culture. For example, Mbuyisele believes polygamy is an accepted cultural practice, but that problems arise when people do not follow the traditional rules of polygamy.

When a man moves outside of these rules, he violates the relationship to his wives and may expose them to HIV/Aids. He also questions a man's ability to look after multiple children.

Sonke made headlines when it took Julius Malema, expelled leader of the ANC Youth League, to the Equality Court in 2010. Malema was found guilty of hate speech for statements he made about President Jacob Zuma's rape accuser and rape victims in general.

Visiting Johannesburg

2011-11-08T10:54:00.000-05:00

I am in Johannesburg for the week to gather information for a variety of research projects. The media and gender activism organization Gender Links in Cyrildene, where I spent two weeks in 2007, is my host and I stay at the beautiful Gender Links Cottages. Some of the topics I am investigating include women working in the media and especially the career of Ferial Haffajee, representations of polygamy, and gender and media in education. Thanks to my gracious host, Saeanna Chingamuka, manager of the Gender and Media Diversity Center.

One of the cottages

Heading to Journalism Interactive Conference

2011-10-26T22:16:00.001-04:00

I am heading to the Journalism Interactive Conference at the University of Maryland tomorrow. Looking forward to learning more about journalism, social media, ethical issues, curricula and more. Also looking forward to seeing old and new friends.

The Joys of Motherhood, by Buchi Emecheta

2011-10-06T19:05:00.001-04:00

I very much enjoyed reading The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta and recommend it for our Global Women class. While set in Nigeria from 1934 onward and as such historically grounded, Emecheta asks questions that we still ponder today: are women only valued if they can have (male) children? is motherhood a woman's most important task? what happens to a mother when her children depart? what about women who do not have children?

Some course-related topics include: virginity, bride price, son-preference, polygamy, lack of education and health care for women, poverty, informal labor, tradition and culture, and colonialism.

A particularly powerful quote:

"God, when will you create a woman who will be fulfilled in herself, a full human being, not anybody's appendage?" she prayed desperately. "After all, I was born alone, and I shall die alone. What have I gained from all this? ... But who made the law that we should not hope in our daughters? ... Until we change all of this, it is still a man's world, which women will always help to build" (p. 210).

Here is a great study guide from Paul Brians at Washington State University.

Handbook of Gender, Sex and Media

2011-10-05T11:57:00.002-04:00

I just received a note from Karen Ross, prolific media scholar at the University of Liverpool, announcing the publication of The Handbook for Gender, Sex and Media, which she edited. A quick glance at the contents shows contributions from established voices such as Carolyn Byerly, Cynthia Carter, Elza Ibrosheva and Dafna Lemish. Seems like a must-have for the library!

Bunnies, baby dolls and broads!

2011-09-30T15:16:00.000-04:00

So what roles are women playing in the new fall TV line-up? See this discussion at
TV's new retro babes are no role models. Are these pieces simple "period pieces" or are they too close for comfort?

"Miss Representation": New Film for the Classroom

2011-09-02T16:24:00.000-04:00

While only focusing on the United States, a new film titled "Miss Representation" addresses the negative representation of women in the media head on. Read more about the film and watch a clip on the Ms. Magazine blog. This will definitely be useful in gender and media classes.

And now: going on sabbatical

2011-08-17T09:37:00.001-04:00

After six years of graduate school and six years as assistant professor, the moment has arrived: I am going on a one-semester sabbatical! Most people agree: this is a well-deserved hiatus after years of hard labor. I have many plans and I hope to accomplish my research goals for the semester. I am curious: how do people make the best use of their sabbatical leave?

What students are saying: Three weeks of studying Global Women

2011-06-07T13:39:00.001-04:00

I just wrapped up teaching Global Women over a three-week period in the summer for the third time. I really like how daily three-hour meetings allow for immersion in the course. Here are some of my favorite student comments:

Student A: "In this class, I not only learned factual data, but also grew emotionally connected to issues, and learned more about myself. To me, that is the definition of a good class. It forced me to think critically about situations, put myself in others' shoes, and sometimes even articulate what I think."

Student B: "At the beginning of this class, I honestly did not realize what I got myself into. I did not realize how indepth we would really get. Every day has been completely amazing. Everything I have learned has been extraordinary and a lot of it is unbelievable. I can say that this class has changed my view on the world, the women in it, and the way I will live my life."

Jan Nederveen Pieterse talks at Butler

2011-03-30T21:17:00.007-04:00

The International Studies Program and the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Butler University invite the Indianapolis community to a talk by Jan Nederveen Pieterse, "Global Rebalancing: Globalization after Crisis," March 31 in the Johnson Room at 4 p.m.

Pieterse has been very influential in shaping my thoughts on globalization and media. In my article, "Women and News: Making Connections between the Global and the Local," I expanded his three scenarios of globalization to journalism, feminism and story stances in news articles. A shoutout to Joe Straubhaar at the University of Texas at Austin for introducing me to Pieterse's work.

Jan Nederveen Pieterse is Mellichamp Professor of Global Studies and Sociology at University of California Santa Barbara and specializes in globalization, development studies and cultural anthropology. His current focus is on 21st century globalization. He is the author or editor of 21 books and author of over 350 articles. Recent books are Globalization and Culture: Global Mélange (second edition, 2010), Development Theory: Deconstructions/ Reconstructions (second edition, 2010), Beyond the American bubble: Is there hope for Uncle Sam? (2008), Ethnicities and Global Multiculture: Pants for an Octopus (2007), Globalization or Empire? (2004)

Article about proposed major in Media, Rhetoric and Culture in Butler Collegian

2011-03-30T15:30:00.003-04:00

The Butler Collegian published an article about the proposed new major in Media, Rhetoric and Culture today. The major was approved by the College Curriculum Committee and is currently under review by the University Curriculum Committee. For more information, also see our website.

Instructional Technology Faculty Showcase

2011-03-25T11:08:00.000-04:00

Instructional Technology at Butler prepared short articles and videos about professors who incorporate new media in their classrooms. Enjoy!

New Global Report on Women in Media Jobs published

2011-03-24T08:32:00.000-04:00

The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) announced the results of its new global study on women in media jobs, which shows that men hold almost two-thirds of all media positions. See some of my thoughts about the report in this IPS story.

Panelist at AEJMC's midwinter conference this weekend

2011-03-03T15:16:00.003-05:00

I put together a panel of scholars to address the challenge of a continuing research program at the AEJMC's midwinter conference in Norman, Oklahoma, this weekend. Here is the panel description:

Stoking the Research Fire: Most academics are fired up for research right after graduate school, but the flame starts fading after a few years on the job. Perhaps you've received tenure. Perhaps you are over-burdened with service and administration. You may be overworked because of budget cuts. Or you're just not that into research anymore. The purpose of this panel is to share ways in which we can rekindle the research fire after several years in academia. Panelists will share their strategies for maintaining a meaningful and rewarding research career that spans several years or even decades. Topics could include ways of organizing your research schedule, coming up with new ideas, or persisting in the face of life's many challenges.

Panelists are Peter Gade, University of Oklahoma; Barbara Friedman, North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Wayne Wanta, Oklahoma State University; and Charles Self, University of Oklahoma.

Featuring in CCom faculty profile

2011-03-03T14:36:00.000-05:00

I am currently featured in a faculty profile on the website of the College of Communication. Take a look!

New Global Report on Women in Media

2011-02-17T18:15:00.000-05:00

The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) will be releasing "The Global Report on Women in the News Media" at its conference March 20-25, Washington, DC. My colleague, Carolyn Byerly, oversaw the research for the report. I also participated in the report when I interviewed Dennis Ryerson, editor of the Indianapolis Star, about employment of women at the paper. Overall the conference seems like a very interesting event and I wish I could've gone.

Lara Logan's secondary victimization

2011-02-16T12:23:00.000-05:00

Not only was CBS reporter Lara Logan brutally assaulted, but now she is also blamed for it. See Salon's article.

Teaching in Washington, DC, program

2011-02-09T09:06:00.001-05:00

I had a great time with students from Butler University and Ithaca College this past weekend in Washington, DC. We spent some classroom time discussing "Journalism, Citizenship and Democracy" and made a field trip to the Newseum. What an interesting and engaged group of students!

Respondent: Seminar on Religion and World Civilization, Jan. 26

2011-01-24T17:56:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, I will be one of two respondents to William Cavanaugh's talk, "Religious Violence: Myth or Global Reality?" This event is part of Butler's Seminar on Religion and World Civilization --Religion, Peacemaking, Conflict.

Back to School

2011-01-19T15:35:00.001-05:00

This afternoon, I will begin teaching version 3.0 of my class on Web 2.0: "New Media & Public Communication." First day back at teaching!

Here is a recipe for a lot of stimulating conversations in class: a little bit of "the cult of the amateur," some "what would Google do," all of Deanna Zandt's book "Share This!," most of Paul Levinson's "New New Media," add some Clay Shirky and David Mathison, mix with Mark Briggs and much much more. What other sources do you consider to be essential for a class on new and social media in society?

Director for Media, Rhetoric and Culture Program, Spring 2011

2011-01-12T12:52:00.001-05:00

As part of Butler University's new College of Communication, we are working on a new major and minor in Media, Rhetoric and Culture, to be in place Fall 2011. This semester, while my great colleague Alison Harthcock is on a well-deserved sabbatical, I will be serving as director for the Media, Rhetoric and Culture program. Much exciting work to be done!

Next month: Teaching in Washington, D.C.

2011-01-04T12:11:00.003-05:00

As part of Butler's Learning in Washington program, I will be teaching a short seminar titled "Journalism, Citizens and Democracy" on Feb. 3-5. Here is a short course description:

"While an abundance of information is available to citizens in the 21st century, it is becoming more and more difficult to evaluate, synthesize and verify this information in search of the truth. The changing media environment poses many challenges to the news industry --- challenges that further complicate the important relationship between journalism, citizens and democracy. Not only are we seeing the explosion of new media platforms that allow user-generated content, but media concentration, conglomeration and globalization are increasingly threatening the political function of the news media. This seminar will explore these challenges through the lens of the Freedom Forum’s interactive news museum, the Newseum, in Washington, D.C."

Teaching and Learning Social Media

2010-12-22T18:21:00.002-05:00

I've mentioned before that it is a challenge to find good printed resources for a class in Social Media. One problem is that books get outdated so quickly, and another is that most are focused on social media marketing. However, I plan to use Deanna Zandt's book "Share This" next semester. I met Deanna at a Women and Media conference in Boston in 2009. Her book is very user friendly and centers around activism for social justice. Perfect!

Cindy Royal's letter to Wired Magazine

2010-11-14T19:19:00.005-05:00

My friend Cindy Royal's breakup letter to Wired Magazine after its latest cover photo stirred up a lot of controversy this week. You can see her blogpost here.

Cindy Royal, assistant professor at Texas State University

The future of Islam with Reza Aslan

2010-10-27T14:23:00.009-04:00

Reza Aslan, Iranian-American writer and speaker, challenged an audience at Butler University last night to determine what kind of America they wanted to live in. He spoke as part of the university's Religion and World Civilization public seminar series.

Aslan urged us to think about what it means to be an American and whether we wanted to live in a society where the right to freedom of religion is violated. Increasingly, Islam is otherized -- made to look foreign, exotic, and unAmerican -- in a nation that is by far the most religiously diverse in the world, he said.

He blamed conservatives such as Pamela Geller, Robert Spencer and Newt Gingrich for the growing negativity toward Islam in the United States. According to Aslan, reasons for the anti-Muslim sentiment include the bad economy and war weariness.

As an immigrant himself, Aslan sees the United States as a country that changes immigrants but that is also changed by immigrants. As an example, he explained that Islam in the United States is a very different religion than Islam in almost any other place.

Huntington's idea of a Clash of Civilizations has been thoroughly debunked but made a return after 9/11, Aslan said. However, the idea of one "Islamic civilization" is ridiculous.

Aslan concluded that while education is helpful in informing people about Islam, the real answer to changing opinions is in building relationships.

Disappointing Misogynism in The Social Network

2010-10-12T14:58:00.001-04:00

I very much enjoyed seeing The Social Network but was dismayed at the sexist representations of women. Except for perhaps girlfriend Erica Albright, all women were shown as sex objects. Even if it is true that this really was the environment in which Facebook was conceived, I am still dismayed then at the sexist environment of these kinds of startups. For an interesting discussion, see The Wrap.

Doing Transnational Feminism

2010-10-08T11:05:00.002-04:00

Inderpal Grewal, chair of the Department of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Yale University, visited our campus yesterday. In her evening lecture at Butler, titled "Transnational Feminist Practices and Methodologies," she explained how the news media create patriarchy as a fixed and stable category in "other" countries through the example of honor killings.

Inderpal Grewal

Grewal studied more than 900 news articles in English language newspapers from the United States, United Kingdom, India, Australia and Europe through the Lexis-Nexis database and noticed that the term "honor killing" was only used in reference to cases in Pakistan, India, Turkey and Jordan.

That is very interesting, because women are killed and disappear in so many more places around the world (for example in Ciudad Juarez), but these killings are not called "honor killings." Why is it that the "cultural argument" is used in only these few countries?

Grewal argues that the media produce "Muslim cultures" as static, unchanging, and patriarchal, while patriarchy apparently does not exist in the United States anymore. As such, Muslims are to blame for violating human rights and the United States is shown as the savior. Very seldom is human rights language even used to discuss practices in the United States, rendering it superior to other nations.

One of the examples Grewal discussed is of Greg Mortenson, author of the book "Three Cups of Tea," who is now seen as the only person in the world who is able to build schools in Pakistan and to rescue the girls. Is it really true that no one else is doing anything about education for girls in the area? A similar example is of Oprah's school for girls in South Africa.

Women as Intercultural Leaders: Imagination, Innovation, Integrity

2010-10-03T19:06:00.023-04:00

I joined members of Butler University's Collaborative for Inquiry into Race, Gender, Sexuality and Class for a roundtable presentation at a conference at Saint Mary's College this past week. The presentation outlined the many strategies and activities of women on the Butler Campus over the last few years: the work of the Women's Caucus, the creation of the Presidential Gender Equity Commission, the cooptation of the core curriculum through the work of the Collaborative, and the change from a minor to a major in Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies.

Colleagues Vivian Deno, Terri Carney and Ann Savage at the roundtable

Some other highlights of the conference included:

* The keynote address by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president of Spelman College
* A presentation on the work of Casas Maternas in Nicaragua and sweatshop workers in the Honduras
* A presentation on the work of Women in Black and Transnational Feminism

Kitty Madden of CRANES Peace Group talks about her work in Nicaragua

GMMP Preview

2010-09-14T22:23:00.004-04:00

Results from the 2009 Global Media Monitoring Project will be released on September 29, but WACC released some information as part of a preview. One finding is that female reporters are almost twice as likely as male reporters to challenge gender stereotypes in news stories. That is an interesting and perhaps somewhat unexpected finding, as female reporters typically subscribe to the same professional values as male reporters to succeed in the news business. If this is true, having more female reporters would indeed make a difference in the news content. For more, see the press release.

The Mindful Teacher

2010-09-09T15:35:00.004-04:00

Butler University is organizing a reading group for faculty based on the book, The Mindful Teacher. This seems like a great opportunity to gain fresh ideas for the classroom.

Nomination for Vice Chair of Feminist Scholarship Division, ICA

2010-09-03T08:18:00.006-04:00

Over the summer, I was nominated to become vice chair of the Feminist Scholarship Division of the International Communication Association. The other candidate is Paula Gardner from the Ontario College of Art and Design in Canada. The polls are now open and will close on noon EDT on Friday, 15 October 2010. Only members can vote! Here is my blurp for the election (and my blog!):

Dear FSD members: I appreciate the nomination and the opportunity to be considered for the vice chair position of FSD. I have been a member of FSD for five years and have participated as a conference panelist and paper reviewer for the division. I have also previously served in leadership positions as chair of the International Communication Division of the AEJMC and vice-chair of the Gender and Communication Section of the IAMCR. Through these activities and my related research interests, I have started to build an extended network of international and feminist media scholars. As vice chair of the FSD, I will work to the benefit of all members to further our collective interests. I am eager to take a more active role in the FSD and to serve members for the next six years.

My ongoing research is in the fields of globalization, gender, development, journalism, and media activism. In particular, I am focusing on gender and news in an international context and my work has appeared in various academic journals, including Feminist Media Studies, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly and Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies. In addition, I have worked on issues of feminist pedagogy and collaborative teaching. As a South African, I have a special interest and relationship to women in the developing world. If elected, I will work to increase the participation of members from developing countries in the FSD, an issue that was discussed at the recent business meeting in Singapore. For more information about me, please visit my blog at www.worldcrossings.blogspot.com.

African Women's Decade

2010-08-31T22:02:00.005-04:00

The African Women's Decade (2010-2020) will be launched in October 2010. From the African Women's Development Fund:

"The Africa review of the Beijing Platform for Action (Beijing +15), which took place in Banjul in November 2009 paints a grim picture of African countries not meeting their commitments on gender equality. The decade presents a new chance for taking women’s rights in Africa to a higher level."

Reality TV or not?

2010-08-27T11:08:00.008-04:00

A new book on reality TV, "Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV" by Jennifer Pozner, executive director of Women in Media & News, is coming out in October. Here is a pro/con discussion about reality television on the CQ Researcher website.

See the website for the book.

Funding models for feminist media

2010-08-24T14:17:00.003-04:00

The Social Science Research Council's Media Research Hub is sponsoring some interesting research on funding for feminist media. Lisa McLaughlin and Susan Feiner received a $30,000 grant to work on this project.

Gender violence in "Twilight"

2010-08-18T15:46:00.006-04:00

One of the most interesting papers I heard at the recent AEJMC conference was Meenakshi "Gigi" Durham's research titled "Gender violence in the Twilight phenomenon: A feminist analysis of blood, lust and love." Durham uses a feminist and semiological approach in her analysis of the first two novels, "Twilight" and "New Moon." The severe scar on the face of Emily, the girlfriend of a werewolf, prompted Durham to look deeper into the series after the she went to see the film with her young daughter.[I found a blog post on Feministing about domestic violence in "New Moon".]

I agree with Durham that the series promotes regressive ideas about gender and perpetuates the idea that a woman shows loyalty when she stays with her man, even if he attacks her violently. It is a mystery why so many girls are fanatical about the film.

Malalai Joya's Lone Voice

2010-08-17T07:55:00.009-04:00

Thanks to a great recommendation by Norwegian scholar Elisabeth Eide, I am currently reading Malalai Joya's book, A Woman among Warlords. Most books on Afghanistan don't provide up-to-date information about what has happened after October 2001. Joya carefully documents her experiences as a female member of the Loya Jirga and her struggles to oust warlords from the new government.

In related news, the debate about the "liberation" of Afghan women continues. From Ms. Magazine.

Notes from AEJMC conference: Denver

2010-08-12T11:44:00.005-04:00

The Sheraton Hotel was on the 16th Street Mall in Denver, providing a very pleasant setting for the conference.

This group of panelists participated in a panel on Tenure Strategies for Women, Minorities and International Faculty Members. The panel was co-sponsored by the International Communication Division and the Minorities and Communication Division.

Of eight AEJMC conferences I've attended, I enjoyed this year's conference most. I now know many people and participated in several conference events.

Feminist Theory: Special Issue

2010-08-03T13:35:00.002-04:00

The current issue of Feminist Theory focuses on Arab Feminisms. See the index.

Afghan Women and Time Magazine

2010-08-03T13:24:00.005-04:00

Photo: Time Magazine

Here is the Time Magazine story, titled Afghan Women and the Return of the Taliban.

Post from Association for Women's Rights in Development on what they call Time's "Epic Distortion of the Plight of Women in Afghanistan." See the story here.

Blogging from Braga: IAMCR conference

2010-07-22T12:56:00.007-04:00

As the IAMCR conference in Braga, Portugal, is coming to a close, a few notes:

The Gender & Communication Section offered several interesting presentations as well as a fun dinner attended by about 30 members. One of the highlights was the panel on the Global Media Monitoring Project, with participants from various countries reporting back on their findings. I also especially enjoyed papers presented by Louise North (Gender and Journalism Education in Australia), a Nordic panel on challenges to gender equality in newsrooms, Kaitlynn Mendes (representations of feminism), Eva Berger (visual portrayel of female soldiers), and the panel on Gender, HIV/AIDS and the media. And as always, it is great to meet old and new colleagues. Next year IAMCR meets in Istanbul.

A happy group at the conference dinner, Bom Jesus

IAMCR Conference: Communication and Citizenship

2010-07-14T21:32:00.002-04:00

Much excitement about the upcoming IAMCR conference in Braga, Portugal. In particular, I look forward to the Gender and Communication Section's programming. We will present 12 panels, including one on the Global Media Monitoring Project and one on AIDS, gender and media. Braga seems to be a beautiful town with many interesting things to see. Watch this space for updates.

What Happened to Gender at WJEC 2 in South Africa?

2010-07-09T19:30:00.015-04:00

The Second World Journalism Education Congress just wrapped up in Grahamstown, South Africa, and I so wish I could've attended it. Since it was a conference on journalism education, most papers dealt with this topic. But searching through the online program (available as a PDF on this page), I was only able to find a handful of articles or presentations that focused on gender or related issues:

"Women"- Jihad Sheilas or Media Martyrs: Muslim Women and the Australian Media
"Gender" - A syndicate discussion titled Media Training, Journalism, and Gender Equality, lead by Gender Links Director Colleen Lowe Morna
"Sex" - Coverage of Sexuality Issues in the Nigerian Print Media
"Diversity" - The Philosophical Exploration of Journalism Education Based on Academic Diversity; and a syndicate discussion titled Diversity in Journalism Education

A group of 24 national professional journalism education associations also signed off on 11 Principles of J-Education. There is no mention of gender, women, sex or diversity in this document, however, it does mention the importance of ethical behavior and critical media analysis. In particular, it states in point 4 that journalism curriculum includes courses that focus on the "social, political and cultural role of media in society."

What does this virtual absence of gender at the conference mean?

My Productive Colleagues

2010-07-07T14:04:00.004-04:00

An article in the current edition of Journalism & Mass Communication Educator presents an analysis of refereed convention papers at the AEJMC, and several of my colleagues ranked highest in paper productivity per AEJMC unit:

Barbara Barnett, University of Kansas, for the Commission on the Status of Women
Radhika Parameswaran, Indiana University, for the Cultural & Critical Studies Division
Stacey J.T. Hust, Washington State University, for the Entertainment Studies Interest Group

Reference: Musambira, G.W. & Nesta, C. (2010). Analysis of Refereed AEJMC Convention Paper Productivity in Journalism and Mass Communication. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 65(1): 56-75.

2010-07-06T09:38:00.003-04:00

I stumbled upon this interesting class project by Pamela Creedon's students at the University of Iowa. Students conducted interviews with women in international journalism, including my colleague Carolyn Byerly of Howard University. Students also interviewed journalists from Zimbabwe, Zambia, and India, to name a few.

This project is hosted on a site called www.ourblook.com. Ever heard of a blook? According to the site, a blook is "a collaborative system to fill the gap between a blog and a book." Interesting!

New UN Agency for Women looks promising

2010-07-04T14:32:00.004-04:00

The new UN agency for women called UN Women seems to be a step forward, but the proof is in the pudding. The UN plays such an important role globally with regard to women's rights but yet, its work is dispersed and watered down. A few years ago, with the introduction of a new journalism curriculum by Unesco at the World Journalism Education Conference in Singapore, the one area of study that was almost completely absent was gender studies. In my experiences at the UN, it was quite confusing to figure out what the different offices for women were and how they differed from each other (Unifem, Division for the Advancement of Women, INStraw, etc.) See article from Human Rights Watch.

Global Feminism?

2010-07-02T15:43:00.005-04:00

Welcome to my new blog design. I thought it was time to spice things up a bit!

An interesting discussion on the terms "Global Feminism" is unfolding on the Gender Across Borders website.

Here is a definition by Elizabeth Switaj: It is no longer enough to cross borders or speak (or shout or scream or sing) across borders. We must transgress boundaries, and not just national ones. We need feminism and environmentalism, feminism and disability rights, feminism and trans* rights: we need to recognise that the hybrids thus created will not always look the same and, indeed, should not look the same. Global feminism, I mean my global feminism since there are many, breeds the beauty of deep and respected difference.

Definition by Kyle Bachan: To me, global feminism is a collaborative, universal effort which aims to push civilization towards equality and social justice. To explain the notion of universality, allow me to use the religion analogy. There are 22 different major religions in the world and these religions all have different structures, customs, and laws. Fundamentally, however, religion is preaching the same thing across its different platforms. Likewise, there are many different types (and waves) of feminism that bring a wide variety of ideologies to the table. Though they may disagree on certain issues of gender difference (or at least, focus on different issues) they are all bringing their movements to the same table—and that table is called global feminism.

Definition by Colleen Hodgetts: To me, global feminism is a repetitive name, as my feminist identity has always included a global perspective. Global Feminism is the idea of gender equality across national borders with an awareness of different cultures, languages, and experiences. It involves standing in solidarity with women who face inequality in a different way than I do. As a Western feminist, a large part of global feminism, for me, is listening: taking a passive role and allowing women who are often spoken for or about to speak for themselves.

Butler Collaborative to present at Women's Leadership Conference

2010-06-04T13:56:00.003-04:00

I will join a group of my colleagues for a roundtable presentation at the Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership's conference, titled "Women as Intercultural Leaders: Imagination, Innovation, Integrity," from September 30-Oct. 2, 2010, at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana.

Abstract: Women have played a key role in addressing issues of diversity at Butler University. Through grassroots organizing and collaborations across traditional institutional boundaries, their efforts have contributed to significant changes in climate and transformed the academic curriculum. Our workshop will outline their rhizomatic strategies of resistance.

Short description:Our roundtable will include brief presentations on a variety of women-centered collaborative efforts that have taken root at Butler University, and which range from campus-wide, non-academic affiliations to faculty-led, core curriculum initiatives.

We start with the history of the Women's Caucus, a grassroots organization that used the power of email lists and cross-campus conversations to imagine a more gender-equitable and diversity-sustaining environment. From this community was born our Presidential Gender Equity Commission, a group of faculty, staff and students from around the campus who spent over two years gathering and analyzing data to produce a report and a series of recommendations which are still in implementation phase and include progress updates by our President in biannual Town Hall Meetings.

The momentum created by these actions invigorated efforts to diversify the curriculum, most notably in the case of Gender Studies, which has been upgraded from a minor program to a major program with a tenure-track line and a paid Director housed in the new Interdisciplinary Programs Office. Through related synergistic efforts a core group of faculty established the Collaborative for Critical Inquiry into Race, Gender, Sexuality and Class, with members from many different departments and disciplines, whose primary goal was to craft new courses on the academics of diversity for Butler's core curriculum.

This session will be of interest to anyone working to improve their professional environment: educators looking to transform curriculum in areas of diversity and colleagues who want to build collaborative communities as a way to contest dominant practices that eclipse the concerns of minorities and women.

Being part of a new College of Communication

2010-06-03T16:54:00.002-04:00

After much talk, the University approved a new College of Communication. In my opinion, this is definitely the right direction:

From a press release by the University: Butler University announced today the creation of its sixth college — College of Communication (CCOM), which includes programs currently run by the Department of Media Arts, the Department of Communication Studies and the Eugene S. Pulliam School of Journalism. See more.

Three-week Global Women course

2010-05-19T15:20:00.003-04:00

Same as last summer, I am currently teaching a three-week Global Women course. We meet for three hours daily, four days a week. I actually really like this schedule, as it allows for immersion in the topic. We are focusing on Afghanistan this year and reading A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Cultural Globalization: A User's Guide

2010-04-29T15:25:00.005-04:00

I recently published a book review of J. Macgregor Wise's book, "Cultural Globalization: A User's Guide" in the Global Media Journal. I thought his discussion of music as a global cultural product was most interesting.

Teaching Critical Thinking

2010-04-29T13:46:00.005-04:00

I am very fortunate to work with a great group of colleagues in the Collaborative for the Critical Inquiry into Issues of Race, Gender, Sexuality and Class. This weekend, a group of us will be having a retreat to write course proposals and brainstorm new ideas for Gender Studies at Butler. We also got a reading assignment: "Teaching Critical Thinking: Practical Wisdom," by bell hooks.

hooks presents 32 teachings in this book, varying from issues of humor, imagination, conflict, and self-esteem to spirituality and feminist change. A few jewels I've found so far:

On integrity: "Integrity is present when there is congruence or agreement between what we think, say, and do" (p. 32).

On humor: "Classes where students are learning new ways of thinking and knowing that may challenge all the belief systems they have heretofore held dear need humor as a mediating force" (p. 72)

Teaching New New Media

2010-04-05T15:16:00.005-04:00

We are reading Paul Levinson's book, "New New Media," in my New Media and Public Communication Class. Levinson differentiates "new new media" from "new media," arguing that "new media" refers to the Internet, e-mail and search engines, whereas "new new media" refers to free user-generated content, including those that take place through social media (a sub-set of "new new media"). It is really fun to consider all these new media forms, in particular to think about the similarities and differences among them. I was struck last week by the level of deception that takes place on YouTube (people posting videos for money), Wikipedia (people changing content for money), Digg (people digging stories for money), and Blogs (people blogging for money). In fact, I keep getting a notice from Amazon that I can get paid for linking to its page, like I did above, through the Amazon Associates program! It is also interesting to see how "old media" theories relate to these new forms. For example, the theory of a two-step flow applies very well to social bookmarking, and so does agenda setting.

Butler Bulldog Fever

2010-04-02T09:52:00.015-04:00

Fever is running high on the Butler campus with the bulldogs heading to the Final Four. Blue fountain ... Festive Ribbons ... and much much more!

Coming Soon in Ecquid Novi: A closer look at gender and media activism in South Africa

2010-03-15T14:09:00.002-04:00

Abstract: Media activism groups work to bring about change in the mainstream media, but their gains are often limited. Drawing on theories of the political function of news in a democracy, media sociology, and feminism, this article focuses on the specific experience of Gender Links, a Southern African gender and media organization founded in 2001. An analysis of institutional materials and 25 in-depth interviews shows that Gender Links is using a professional-technical approach to feminist media activism that is insufficient in bringing about deep and long-term change on an ideological level. It is suggested that Gender Links could benefit from more emphasis on political and countercultural approaches. The research also highlights some of the other dilemmas posed by issues related to funding, networking, the grassroots, press freedom, the profit motive, and the strong backlash from a patriarchal culture.

The Cry of the Dove

2010-03-12T10:47:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading The Cry of the Dove by Fadia Faqir. The novel is disturbing in so many ways, and the fragmented writing style adds to this. A young woman gets pregnant out of wedlock in Jordan and turns herself in to prison to be held in protective custody. After giving birth, her baby is instantly removed but Salma remains in prison for eight years, until she is finally able to escape with the help of nuns. She ends up in England and tries to work out a life for herself, overcoming poverty, alienation and a constant fear of being killed by her brother.

I am always looking for good reads for our course in Global Women, but they are hard to find. Does a book like this one reinforce stereotypes of Middle Eastern women as being oppressed, or does it show the harsh realities of life they are facing?

Teaching International Communication

2010-02-11T15:00:00.004-05:00

I am currently teaching two sections of International Communication. We use Daya Thussu's book, "International Communication: Continuity and Change," and today's lecture is always a favorite: The Global and the Local, and Contraflow. Examples include the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the Simpsons, Zee TV, Slumdog Millionaire, Afghan Star, Phoenix Chinese Channel, and Ugly Betty.

The Truth, Truthiness and Wikiality

2010-01-20T23:25:00.006-05:00

In my New Media & Public Communication class, we considered the concept of "truth" today. Kovach and Rosenstiel, in their book "Elements of Journalism," consider truth to be the "first and most confusing principle." So how do we know what is The Truth? Does truth even exist? Is it possible for the news media to convey truth? How does truth compare to the concepts of balance, fairness and accuracy? These are some of the fun questions we are currently pondering.

We can't talk about truth in journalism today without mentioning Stephen Colbert's concepts of "truthiness" and "wikiality." Here is the clip of when Colbert first introduced the the idea of truthiness (seems like the clip was moved on the official Colbert site). According to Wikipedia, truthiness is "a 'truth' that a person claims to know intuitively 'from the gut' without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts." The Urban Dictionary defines wikiality as "a reality where, if enough people agree with a notion, it becomes the truth." These are just two examples of how truth gets distorted in the media.

It's a coincidence that in today's Butler Collegian, Mary Beth Sekela writes about the difficulties that the American press experiences currently. She interviews my colleague, Nancy Whitmore, who is director of the School of Journalism, about changes in the industry and what students can do to set themselves apart. Sekela concludes that new graduates "must be prepared to resist the pull of politics and report what the public needs to know: the facts. Because the facts are, after all, the main concern of every journalist." I doubt whether simply providing the facts (accuracy) is enough in today's media environment.

Academic Job Searches

2010-01-16T21:53:00.003-05:00

Spring is also the time for academic job searches. I am currently involved in a search for a new Gender Studies position and a search for a replacement position in the School of Journalism. Time consuming but exciting at the same time.

Jordan Hall at Butler University, Jan. 2010

2010-01-12T20:22:00.002-05:00

Butler's campus is beautiful at the beginning of the new semester.

Preparing course on New Media & Public Communication

2010-01-07T14:52:00.004-05:00

For me, one of the joys of academic life is the opportunity to create new courses. I am currently working on a new course, called "New Media & Public Communication," which will be offered this semester as part of Butler's Social World requirement in the Core Curriculum. First, we are going to consider the rights and responsibilities of citizens and consumers when dealing with public communication. Then we are going to tour the various forms of new social media, including blogs, Twitter, wikis, Facebook, Digg and more. We will also talk about theory and research as we go along. The books we are going to use are the journalism staple, "The Elements of Journalism," by Kovach and Rosenstiel, and Levinson's currently current book, "New New Media." Will keep everyone posted on progress!

Hello 2010

2010-01-02T23:29:00.004-05:00

New Year, new posts to come! Many exciting plans for research and teaching in 2010.

Dr. Rajeswari Sunder Rajan at Butler tonight

2009-11-19T16:04:00.003-05:00

Dr. Rajeswari Sunder Rajan, Global Distinguished Professor of English at New York University, is speaking Clowes Hall on the Butler University campus tonight. Her topic is "Antigone's Resistance and Postcolonial Feminist Politics." This is part of the Global and Historical Studies program.

Multimedia Boot Camp

2009-11-12T22:14:00.005-05:00

I am currently attending a multimedia boot camp at the Freedom Forum in Nashville. It is mindboggling to think about all the changes in technology and the implications for journalism education.

Butler Brown Bag presentation: Monday, November 9

2009-10-28T21:04:00.000-04:00

I will be presenting my research on Women's eNews to colleagues at Butler University on Monday, November 9:

While the right to communicate is a basic human right, women continue to be excluded from the news media. In response, some women’s groups have created alternative media that focus on women. This presentation considers the efforts of the New York-based online news service Women’s eNews and in particular the creation of its Arabic news site. Women’s eNews covers international women’s issues on a regular basis through freelance correspondents from over the world. Results of this study are based on an institutional analysis, in-depth interviews, and an analysis of international stories published by Women’s eNews since 2000.

CQ Press: Book: Journalism Next: A Practical Guide to Digital Reporting and Publishing, Mark Briggs

2009-10-14T15:00:00.001-04:00

CQ Press: Book: Journalism Next: A Practical Guide to Digital Reporting and Publishing, Mark Briggs

Shared via AddThis

World Journalism Education Congress

2009-09-25T12:45:00.005-04:00

The Second World Journalism Education Congress will take place in July 2010 in Grahamstown, South Africa. More info

New UN agency for women

2009-09-24T16:15:00.004-04:00

I am curious to see how this new UN agency for women will work.

From the UN News Service:

15 September 2009 – Four United Nations agencies and offices will be amalgamated to create a new single entity within the Organization to promote the rights and well-being of women worldwide and to work towards gender equality.

The General Assembly adopted a resolution late yesterday on improving system-wide coherence within the UN, and the text spells out the support of Member States for a new consolidated body – to be headed by an under-secretary-general – to deal with issues concerning women.

The resolution means the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women, the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW) will be merged.

Read more.

How do we teach journalism?

2009-09-15T08:40:00.005-04:00

My co-authored article, "Inverting the Inverted Pyramid: A Conversation about the Use of Feminist Theories to Teach Journalism," just came out in Feminist Teacher Volume 19 Number 3. Thanks to my great colleagues Danna and Barbara for this conversation.

Female reporters in the workplace

2009-09-08T22:29:00.002-04:00

I recently interviewed the editor of a local paper as part of the International Women's Media Foundation's Glass Ceiling study. He told me that working in the news business is not conducive to family life, neither for men nor for women. He also said his paper is not hiring any new staff at this time due to the economic climate. It remains difficult for women to work as newspaper reporters. Results of the study are expected next year.

News coverage of Semenya

2009-08-26T08:44:00.002-04:00

Over the last week, the news media reported on Mokgadi "Caster" Semenya's "gender testing." The reporting showed a serious lack of understanding between "sex" and "gender" and also raised a bunch of other issues. Below, see the commentary written by Colleen Lowe Morna of Gender Links:

South Africa: Semenya challenges our deeply ingrained stereotypes
By Colleen Lowe Morna

Is she a girl or is she a boy? That’s been the level of debate surrounding teenage athlete sensation Mokgadi “Caster” Semenya at home and abroad.

The question we should be asking ourselves in Women’s Month in South Africa and in a globalised world steeped in gender stereotypes is how this young woman, who defies all templates of what we expect a woman to be, should help us see through our own blinders to the beauty of her success.

Let’s start with some definitions. Sex is a biological given. Gender is a social construct: it is about society’s expectations of what a woman or man should look like, behave and be.

In sport, testing for sex is legitimate, as is testing for drugs. There are physical differences between women and men. To the extent these might give an athlete an advantage, they can be questioned. This kind of testing indeed started in the sixties as a result of men sneaking into women’s sport is disguise. It was about proving that men are not women; not about women proving that they are women. Men, it should be noted, never have to undergo tests in sports to prove that they are men.

Gender testing, if that is what happens, is completely wrong. What would such a test involve? Determining if a person looks or thinks or acts like a woman or a man? And how exactly does a woman or man think or look or act?

Ironically, gender not sex testing is exactly what Semenya is being subjected to. She is being questioned on the basis of our assumptions about how a woman should look and behave: not the biological facts.

Over the last few days, we have heard from Semenya’s coach; her room mate, her mother and grandmother, all of whom confirm that she is biologically a girl. The experts say that there is more to it than simple gynecological tests. In the same breath, they caution that hormonal balance is murky territory; especially when one is talking about super fit athletes whose balance is anyway going to be quite different from the average man or woman.

Could it be that the real issue is that we are blown away by a confident and fit young woman who exudes not only physical but also psychological strength in a way that challenges our deeply held views about what girls should or should not be? And is race conceivably part of this stereotypical mix?

Hark back two decades ago to Mozambican athlete Maria Mutolo’s debut on the world stage, when similar questions were raised about her sex. How different is her physique to that of Semenya? On the other hand, of late we have seen a muscular Madonna making public appearances after four hours of gym each day. Why are we not asking whether the world’s great sex symbol is indeed still a woman?

The singer Caiphus Semenya has a great line in one of his songs: woman has a right to be. That is what Women’s month in South Africa is all about. Our biggest gold medal is a Constitution that celebrates diversity: that embraces women and men of all shapes, forms and colours.

We should celebrate Semenya on her return not just because she is bringing back a gold medial, but because she has refused to conform to societal norms and expectations.

When little girls were being told not to play soccer, she declared she loved the sport. When she was teased and humiliated and told to pull down her pants before she could use the “ladies” she cast her energies and concentration into running. In Berlin, when an Australian newspaper leaked the sordid details about her “gender test” on the eve of her big race, she ran like there is no tomorrow.

Today it’s the Athletic World Championships; tomorrow it’s Soccer 2010. What is that next big global sporting event going to mean for the women of Southern Africa? A chance to make a bit more money in the dark alleys of illegal sex work? Or a chance to play the game; build roads and bridges; run thriving businesses; drive taxis and be a part of public life?

If Semenya helps us to see past all that has made our society blind to these possibilities for women, rendering them politically, socially and economically second class citizens in our society, her agony will not have been in vain. We can only turn her trauma to victory if we raise the current tempo of the debate from a Twelfth Night drama to a serious questioning of what exactly gender equality means.

(Colleen Lowe Morna is executive director of Gender Links. This article is part of the GL Opinion and Commentary Service that offers fresh views on every day news)

Also see Ammu Joseph's posting on the WIMN blog

Global Women course: Fall 2009

2009-08-18T10:28:00.004-04:00

Our collaborative teaching group is getting ready for the Fall 2009 Global Women course, offered as part of Butler's core curriculum. I've tried out the textbook "Women across Cultures: A Global Perspective" in the summer and liked it. We will continue to use Joni Seager's fabulous Atlas of Women in the World. Two exciting new additions to the course: Sindiwe Magona's "To my children's children" and Shahrnush Parsipur's "Women without men." This should make for an interesting comparison between South Africa and Iran.

Reporting from AEJMC conference, Boston

2009-08-05T11:02:00.003-04:00

I just listened to a very interesting paper by Ammina Kothari, a graduate student at University of Indiana in Bloomington. The paper is titled "A Study of The New York Times Coverage of Darfur: July 2003-2006." What made it interesting is that Kothari didn't look at audience frames; she instead looked at how these frames are produced by first finding the frames and then interviewing reporters of NY Times. Innovative approach!

I am presenting a paper on "Gender, news and politics" in a panel titled "(Inter)national Media, Women and Politics" at 1:30 p.m. today.

Looking forward to Top Paper session of Commission on the Status of Women later today.

Getting ready for IAMCR conference, Mexico City

2009-07-14T11:08:00.006-04:00

Here is an abstract of my paper: Building Global Bridges -- How Women’s eNews Covers Women Around the World

While the right to communicate is considered to be a basic human right, women continue to be excluded from the news media. As shown in the 2005 Global Media Monitoring Project’s one-day study in 76 countries, women only made up 21 percent of news subjects – those interviewed or whom the news is about. International news, especially, focuses on war, disasters and foreign policy, without any attention to women.

At the Fourth World Conference for Women in Beijing, Section J of the Platform of Action addressed women’s lack of participation and access to the news media, as well as the importance of promoting balanced and non-stereotypical portrayals of women in the media. Item 242c states that non-governmental organizations and media professional associations should “facilitate the increased participation of women in communication, in particular at the international level, in support of South-South and North-South dialogue among and between these organizations.”

One response of women to their exclusion and misrepresentation in the mainstream news media has been the creation of alternative media for women. Yet, these publications often only reach a small target audience. The New York-based online news source Women’s eNews is an example of an organization that focuses on news that affects women and also extends the reach of its articles by sending them to mainstream news media.

Women’s eNews was launched in June 2000 and describes itself as an “unbiased source of underreported news about women throughout the world.” It covers international women’s issues on a regular basis through freelance correspondents from over the world. Of specific interest is the global reach of the news service. In 2002, it realized that the service had quite a high number of visitors from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other Arabic-speaking countries. Indeed, the Web site states that “visitors from the Middle East ranked fourth—after North America, Western Europe and unknown—in frequency of visits.” Women’s eNews also became aware of several reports that argued for the increased participation and non-stereotypical representations of Arab women in the media. As a result, the service developed an Arabic-language version “that would translate Women’s eNews articles into Arabic as well as produce original content for Arabic Women’s eNews in Arabic.” Women’s eNews currently features an Arabic version and has plans to expand to other languages, including Japanese, Spanish, and French.

This paper considers the efforts of Women’s eNews to improve the news coverage of women around the world. In particular, it addresses obstacles to the fair and accurate representation of women as well as strategies to bring about change. Results of this study are based on an institutional analysis, in-depth interviews, and an analysis of international stories published by Women’s eNews since 2000.

NY Times Magazine focuses on women

2009-07-02T22:35:00.003-04:00

From Nicholas Kristof's Blog:

The New York Times Sunday Magazine is going to have a special issue on Aug. 23 devoted to women in the developing world. This is the first time the magazine has done something quite like this, and we’re all excited here. The lead article will be an excerpt from “Half the Sky,” the book that my wife and I have written about this topic (the book comes out Sept. 8), and everything else in the issue will also be themed to the topic. We’re also going to try to highlight, in print and online, some of the aid organizations that do important work in this space, so that readers who want to get engaged will have some ideas about how they can follow up.

The magazine has also sent two photographers around the world on assignment to capture photos for the issue, so the art should be fabulous. All in all, it’ll be a very memorable treatment of an issue that increasingly is being seen as central to economic development. One of the reasons for this issue — and for “Half the Sky” — is that there’s growing recognition that if you want to fight poverty and extremism, you need to educate and empower women and bring them into the economy. A country can’t grow and be stable if half the population is marginalized.

Part of this magazine special issue will involve a “Half the Sky Contest” that we’ll announce when the issue comes out. I could tell you more, but then I’d have to kill you. And if you have ideas for the issue (particularly online, since planning is well underway for the print issue), let us know by commenting below.

Global Feminist Conference: 2011

2009-06-22T12:51:00.003-04:00

From Women's Worlds 2011:

The theme of Women’s Worlds 2011 is “Inclusions, exclusions, and seclusions: Living in a globalized world”. Why? Where globalization and women are concerned, provocative questions abound:

Does globalization include, exclude, and/or seclude women?

As global hierarchies realign, how are gender roles and identities evolving?

How are social identifications like power, privilege, citizenship, and nation affected?

Ours is an increasingly integrated world – one where boundaries are shifting under growing flows of capital, goods, power … and people. Who and where we are as individuals and communities becomes less clear within this contemporary, globalized context.

Around the world, women are grappling with changing political, cultural, economic, social, and environmental realities. And the effects of numerous crises – be they economic, ecological, or health-related – intensify obstacles to women’s equality.

Globalization has contributed to the destabilization and marginalization of women and communities. Yet certain consequences have yielded positive results for women. Globalization has meant enhanced communications and organizing – trans-national connectivity that must be deepened as women’s organizations and networks struggle to sustain themselves and maintain resilience in the face of forces that oppose women's equality.

Women’s Worlds 2011 will be a place for the exploration of these complex matters through reflection, learning, and sharing a variety of ideas and experiences – especially those of women most deeply affected.

IPS Gender Wire

2009-06-22T12:43:00.005-04:00

It seems as if IPS decided to return to a separate news service for women's issues after its earlier Gender Mainstreaming Project.

From IPS Gender Wire:

IPS has launched a new programme of work running through 2009 - 20011 called “Communicating for Change: Getting Voice, Visibility and Impact for Gender Equality”.

This initiative is one of the projects awarded by the MDG3 Fund: Investing in Equality, set up by the Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation to raise awareness about the third development goal’s priorities, which are primarily aimed at reducing violence against women, enhancing women’s economic independence and increasing participation and representation of women in politics and public administration.

Our activities will include an increase in the IPS news agency’s independent coverage of stories related to gender equality, op-ed columns and newsletters.

To read the independent news reporting generated so far visit Women in the News.

IPS will also work on customised media and communication plans with the other MDG3 grantee organisations committed to women’s empowerment. The aim is strengthening the visibility of their own work, and co-host national or regional media and civil society thematic seminars with them as active partners.

These activities will be implemented primarily in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

Last but not least, selections from the catalogue of IPS media training publications related to gender, including the Gender Glossaries, will be revised, republished and distributed.

This website, which is part of our MDG3 communication commitment, will document the publications, meetings and outputs resulting from the whole initiative, and provide a knowledge centre about the activities of other women’s organisations working for gender equality.

To get in touch with us you can write to mdg3@ips.org. Collaboration proposals and suggestions are welcome!

Sabina Zaccaro, IPS MDG3 Global Coordinator

New Journal on Women and Gender

2009-06-16T17:20:00.005-04:00

From Texas State University, San Marcos:

Journal of Research on Women and Gender launched at Texas State

The Center for Multicultural and Gender Studies and the Women and Gender Research Collaborative at Texas State University-San Marcos launched a peer-reviewed electronic journal March 25 at noon in room 336 Flowers Hall.

Texas State faculty, staff, students and media were invited to meet with those involved in the development and production of the Journal of Research on Women and Gender.

The journal will be offered free annually over the World Wide Web. It welcomes manuscripts based on original work of scholars documenting women’s experiences and analyzing the significance of gender. It is an inter-disciplinary entity reflecting qualitative research, quantitative research, pedagogical works, and creative projects. Scholars worldwide will be invited to participate in the interdisciplinary journal.

“It is an excellent opportunity to showcase critical and creative thinking around issues of local, national, and international import,” said Sandra Mayo, director of the Center for Multicultural and Gender Studies who organized the Women and Gender Research Collaborative in 2008.

The journal leadership includes Kate Peirce, executive editor, and Susan Weill, associate executive editor, both on the faculty of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Terri Pantuso, Department of English, will serve as the managing editor. The editorial board includes both Texas State faculty and faculty from other institutions representing numerous disciplines.

Pres. Obama on Women's Rights: Speech in Cairo

2009-06-04T12:49:00.003-04:00

From the transcription:

The sixth issue -- the sixth issue that I want to address is women's rights. (Applause.) I know –- I know -- and you can tell from this audience, that there is a healthy debate about this issue. I reject the view of some in the West that a woman who chooses to cover her hair is somehow less equal, but I do believe that a woman who is denied an education is denied equality. (Applause.) And it is no coincidence that countries where women are well educated are far more likely to be prosperous.

Now, let me be clear: Issues of women's equality are by no means simply an issue for
Islam. In Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, we've seen Muslim-majority
countries elect a woman to lead. Meanwhile, the struggle for women's equality continues in many aspects of American life, and in countries around the world.

I am convinced that our daughters can contribute just as much to society as our sons.
(Applause.) Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity -- men
and women -- to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the
same choices as men in order to be equal, and I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice. And that is why the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams. (Applause.)

The colonial subject

2009-05-28T19:05:00.005-04:00

From: The Wretched of the Earth, Franz Fanon

"The first thing the colonial subject learns is to remain in his place and not to overstep its limits. Hence the dreams of the colonial subject are muscular dreams, dreams of action, dreams of aggressive vitality. I dream I am jumping, swimming, running, and climbing. I dream I burst out laughing, I am leaping across a river and chased by a pack of cars that never catches up with me. During colonization the colonized subject frees himself night after night between nine in the evening and six in the morning" (p. 15)

Feminist postcolonialism and FGM

2009-05-22T17:57:00.005-04:00

June 1, 2009, Gender & Society, Vol. 23, No. 3, 293-314 (2009)

Defining Gendered Oppression in U.S. Newspapers: The Strategic Value of "Female Genital Mutilation," by Lisa Wade, Occidental College

According to the logic of the gendered modernity/tradition binary, women in traditional societies are oppressed and women in modern societies liberated. While the binary valorizes modern women, it potentially erases gendered oppression in the West and undermines feminist movements on behalf of Western women. Using U.S. newspaper text, I ask whether female genital cutting (FGC) is used to define women in modern societies as liberated. I find that speakers use FGC to both uphold and challenge the gendered modernity/ tradition binary. Speakers use FGC to denigrate non-Western cultures and trivialize the oppressions that U.S. women typically encounter, but also to make feminist arguments on behalf of women everywhere. I argue that in addition to examining how culturally imperialist logics are reproduced, theorists interested in feminist postcolonialism should turn to the distribution of such logics, emphasizing the who, where, when, and how of reinscription of and resistance to such narratives.

War on Women in Congo

2009-05-19T14:03:00.003-04:00

From CNN, by Eve Ensler:

(CNN) -- I write today on behalf of countless V-Day activists worldwide, and in solidarity with my many Congolese sisters and brothers who demand justice and an end to rape and war.

It is my hope that these words and those of others will break the silence and break open a sea of action to move Congolese women toward peace, safety and freedom.

My play, "The Vagina Monologues," opened my eyes to the world inside this world. Everywhere I traveled with it scores of women lined up to tell me of their rapes, incest, beatings, mutilations. It was because of this that over 11 years ago we launched V-Day, a worldwide movement to end violence against women and girls.

The movement has spread like wildfire to 130 countries, raising $70 million. I have visited and revisited the rape mines of the world, from defined war zones like Bosnia, Afghanistan and Haiti to the domestic battlegrounds in colleges and communities throughout North America, Europe and the world. My in-box -- and heart -- have been jammed with stories every hour of every day for over a decade.

Nothing I have heard or seen compares with what is going on in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where corporate greed, fueled by capitalist consumption, and the rape of women have merged into a single nightmare. Femicide, the systematic and planned destruction of the female population, is being used as a tactic of war to clear villages, pillage mines and destroy the fabric of Congolese society.

In 12 years, there have been 6 million dead men and women in Congo and 1.4 million people displaced. Hundreds and thousands of women and girls have been raped and tortured. Babies as young as 6 months, women as old as 80, their insides torn apart. What I witnessed in Congo has shattered and changed me forever. I will never be the same. None of us should ever be the same. Read more.

Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives

2009-05-19T05:39:00.006-04:00

Just heard about a new book called Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives. Impressive list of contributors, including Stephen Reese, Cynthia Carter, Annabelle Sreberny, and Mark Deuze.

Blurb from Web site:

Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives examines the spontaneous actions of ordinary people, caught up in extraordinary events, who felt compelled to adopt the role of a news reporter. This collection draws together 21 original, thought-provoking chapters. It investigates citizen journalism in the West, including the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia, as well as its development in a variety of other national contexts around the globe, including Brazil, China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Palestine, South Korea, Vietnam, and even Antarctica. It engages with several of the most significant topics for this important area of inquiry from fresh, challenging perspectives. Its aim is to assess the contribution of citizen journalism to crisis reporting, and to encourage new forms of dialogue and debate about how it may be improved in future. See http://citizenjournalism.me/.

Global Women Summer Course

2009-05-15T15:49:00.005-04:00

Here is information about the three-week summer course I am currently teaching.

Resistance & Rights: Global Women

This course explores the historical development of women’s human rights, the local and global conflicts surrounding women’s struggles, and contemporary understandings of women’s activism and resistance to oppression. Using a human rights framework, we will examine the lives of women from diverse societies and time periods, as well as the means by which women have worked individually and collectively to gain basic human rights. We will explore the major human rights issues that impact women today and how they relate to a variety of topics, including those of culture, religion and tradition; violence against women; sexuality and health; marriage, motherhood and family life; war and refugees; work and immigration; asylum seekers and trafficking; education; politics; and the economy. The course will conclude with an investigation of the role of women’s organizing in effecting progressive social change. We will utilize primary and secondary sources from several academic disciplines as well as compelling works of literature, film and the visual arts.

Also coming soon: Article in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

2009-05-08T07:22:00.006-04:00

Gender Mainstreaming in International News: A Case Study of the Inter Press Service (Vol. 86, No. 1, Spring 2009, pp. 65-84)

Abstract:

From 1994 to 1999, the global news agency Inter Press Service (IPS) implemented a gender mainstreaming policy in its newsrooms. This article presents results of a study of the organizational changes and news coverage that IPS advocated, as well as methods employed to bring about these changes. It shows that IPS has not been able to mainstream gender into all aspects of the organization and news coverage, and it considers reasons for the lacking implementation of the policy, while documenting IPS's efforts to improve women’s access and representation in international news.

And now: hyperlocal news

2009-05-05T09:36:00.003-04:00

From CNN:

On a recent morning, when many newspapers and news sites were buzzing about swine flu, voiceofsandiego.org wrote instead about a local science professor and his quest to understand the beginning of the universe.

The swine flu story was nowhere to be found.

To some news junkies, it may seem like the nonprofit news site missed the big story of the day. But this intentional omission fits right in with the independent publication's values.

It also indicates what the future of local news may hold. Read more.

Global press freedom declines

2009-05-02T07:08:00.003-04:00

From Freedomhouse.org:

Journalists faced an increasingly grim working environment in 2008, with global press freedom declining for a seventh straight year and deterioration occurring for the first time in every region, according to Freedom House's annual media study. The rollback was not confined to traditionally authoritarian states; with Israel, Italy and Hong Kong slipping from the study's Free category to Partly Free status.

"The journalism profession today is up against the ropes and fighting to stay alive, as pressures from governments, other powerful actors and the global economic crisis take an enormous toll," said Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House executive director. "The press is democracy's first defense and its vulnerability has enormous implications for democracy if journalists are not able to carry out their traditional watchdog role." Read more.

Thirty Years On: The Social and Cultural Impacts of the Iranian Revolution

2009-04-27T16:51:00.003-04:00

Conference on the Iranian Revolution, with interesting presentations on women and media in Iran.

IAMCR Gender and Communication program now online

2009-04-27T15:16:00.003-04:00

The Gender and Communication Section of IAMCR's conference program is now online. See the program.

Coming Soon: Article in Feminist Media Studies

2009-04-24T12:45:00.004-04:00

Below is the abstract of my article, "Women and News: Making Connections Between the Global and the Local," that will appear in the next edition of Feminist Media Studies (Vol. 9, No. 2, 2009).

In an era of increasing globalization, women continue to be underrepresented and stereotyped in national, international, and global news media. The problem is exacerbated when traditional geographic boundaries are crossed and the media in one country report on issues and events, particularly those that impact women, in another country. The question addressed in this article is how news organizations can best represent women and our diverse lives within this new global context. In an effort to bridge the local-global dichotomy, this article aims to make connections between macro-level theories of cultural globalization and micro-level theories of feminism. Three scenarios of cultural globalization, as proposed by Pieterse (2004), are extended to show their relationship with journalism, feminism, and story stances. The article shows how the clash of civilizations scenario relates to nationalistic news practices, patriarchal representations, and story stances that only include the voices of the dominant group. Similarly, it shows how the scenario of cultural homogenization relates to cultural imperialism, “global feminism,” and a story stance that homogenizes women’s lives. Finally, it shows the relationships among cultural hybridization, glocalized journalism, transnational feminisms, and story stances that give voice to underrepresented groups.

New book: Women at war face sexual violence

2009-04-20T22:17:00.002-04:00

Helen Benedict is a professor in journalism at Columbia University.

From BBC News:

In her new book, The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women Serving in Iraq, Helen Benedict examines the experience of female soldiers serving in the US military in Iraq and elsewhere.

Here, in an article adapted from her book, she outlines the threat of sexual violence that women face from their fellow soldiers while on the frontline, and provides testimony from three of the women she interviewed for her book. Read more.

Obama’s Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues

2009-04-19T10:47:00.002-04:00

From Feminist Law Professors Blog:

Melanne Verveer is Co-Founder, Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international nonprofit that invests in emerging women leaders – pioneers of economic, political and social progress in their countries. Prior to founding Vital Voices, Verveer served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration and was chief assistant to then First Lady Hillary Clinton in her international activities. Verveer also took the lead in establishing the President’s Interagency Council on Women, which serves as a model for governments to address issues of concern to women. Read more.

Finding a text for global women's issues

2009-04-18T08:48:00.003-04:00

Our collaborative teaching group met yesterday to discuss our plans for the Fall 2009 "Resistance & Rights: Global Women" course. It is challenging to find a suitable text for this kind of class, and we've decided to try the following book: Women Across Cultures: A Global Perspective.

Jennifer Pozner coming to Butler April 21

2009-04-16T16:45:00.004-04:00

I am organizing this event for next week:

Jennifer Pozner, founder and director of Women In Media and News, will give a talk called "Hillary Clinton is a Size Eight, and Other Useless Things I Learned from the News" from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, in JH141.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (317) 940-6047.

The talk will focus on women and news media, including the coverage of women in politics, violence against women, and economics/poverty. She will conclude with a discussion on women in the news industry and media economics.

As a journalist and media critic, Pozner has published widely on women, media, politics and popular culture. Before founding WIMN in 2001, she directed the Women’s Desk at the national media watch group FAIR and wrote for Extra! Magazine. Pozner has conducted multi-media presentations and participated in panels and debates at dozens of colleges and conferences across the country. Additionally, she has worked closely with the women’s human rights groups MADRE and Women for Afghan Women, and with a variety of other women-led social justice groups, including the Center for New Words’ WAM (Women, Action & Media) conference, Women Leaders Online and New Yorkers Say No To War. She is a graduate of Hampshire College. More info about Pozner is available at http://www.wimnonline.org/about/people.html. Read more.

Women’s representation in SA parliament set to rise to 45%

2009-04-15T12:34:00.002-04:00

From Gender Links:

South Africa is likely to witness a 12% increase in women’s representation in parliament from 33% to 45%, according to a report released by Gender Links on the eve of the April 2009 elections. This would be the largest increase in women’s representation since the first democratic elections in 1994 in which women’s representation jumped from 2.7 percent to 27 percent.

The increase would put South Africa firmly on course to meet the Southern African Development Community (SADC) target of 50% women in political decision-making by 2015. It would also place South Africa in the lead position in the regional body (at 36% women in parliament Angola is currently the front runner). South Africa would, however, still be behind global leader Rwanda at 56%. The increase in numbers, largely brought about by the African National Congress (ANC’s) 50/50 election list as well as improvements in women’s standing in opposition parties, is also likely to spark a new debate on how meaningful numbers are.

“We will face the irony that while we may have many more women in parliament we will also most likely have Jacob Zuma as president,” noted GL Executive Director Colleen Lowe Morna. While Zuma was acquitted of rape charges, his utterances that scantily dressed women are asking to have sex and polygamous life style “hardly reflect progressive views on women’s rights,” she added.

A telling moment in South Africa’s history was during the ANC’s Pholokwane congress when “the proverbial two bulls slugged it out in the ring with not even a hint of a woman as an alternative leader,” Lowe-Morna noted. “The ANC has made history by fielding equal numbers of women across its party list, but patriarchy still runs deep in this as in every other party,” she added.

While the Independent Democrats (ID) and Democratic Alliance (DA) have women leaders, neither has fielded equal numbers of women and men in the top 50 candidates
on their lists. The Congress of the People (COPE) has come close to parity in its top 50; except (like the ANC) at the very top.

GL’s election analysis shows that women constitute over half of all registered voters in all provinces and 55% of voters overall. In the bumper voter registration turn out, young people constitute 12 million of the 23 million voters and young women constitute 53% of these voters, making them the most powerful voting block. But the report comments that party manifestos and campaigns have done little to address key concerns of women like gender violence and the economic crisis. Awareness of gender as a critical factor in elections remains weak, the report says.

Pluralism and the interpretation of women's human rights

2009-04-14T23:30:00.001-04:00

Silvina Alvarez, UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE MADRID

European Journal of Women's Studies, Vol. 16, No. 2, 125-141 (2009)

Abstract: Since conflicts of human rights can be translated into conflicts of values, this article looks into the sources and extension of value pluralism for a better understanding of the sort of conflicts of human rights that women face in multicultural contexts. Furthermore, a proper understanding of personal autonomy as a founding value underlying individual rights can contribute to an interpretation of women's human rights that takes account of both their untouchable core as well as their contextual meaning. As conflicts of fundamental rights most often take place in a scenario of strong pluralism, the article considers cases of conflicts of rights in multicultural societies focusing on the overlapping values to be balanced. Religious freedom, education, neutrality, equality or toleration are some of the issues to be addressed: all of these are important and should be evaluated considering their further implications for women as well as for the other individuals involved

Gender and election coverage in South Africa

2009-04-14T22:47:00.003-04:00

From Media Monitoring Africa:

It is clear that issues around gender equality, women’s poverty and health are of primary importance to South Africa. Women form a greater proportion of South Africa’s population, a greater proportion of the rural population is also the most poorly serviced, head a greater number of households which are more likely to be poor and earn less than male-headed households, are affected by HIV/Aids the most, and suffer alarming levels of gender-based violence. MMA’s monitoring demonstrates that this has not been reflected in media’s election coverage, when these issues should come to the forefront of many (if not the greater majority) reports. Read more.