August 2008 Archives

Co-Editors, Chris Bobel, University of Massachusetts Boston and Samantha Kwan, University of Houston

This edited collection will assemble scholarly yet accessibly written works that explore the dimensions of resistance to embodied taboos of all sorts. We are interested in pieces that describe and analyze the many ways that humans subvert the social constraints that deem certain behaviors and bodily presentations as inappropriate, disgusting, private and/or forbidden in various cultural and historical contexts. Empirical, historical, theoretical and narrative contributions are equally welcome. This book, intended as a supplemental text for use in undergraduate and graduate classrooms, aims to advance and deepen our understanding of the motivations, experiences and consequences associated with the bodies that break the rules through the (intersecting) lenses of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, culture, religiosity, class and nation.

The editors welcome submissions from scholars in a range of disciplines, including but not limited to sociology, women’s and gender studies, anthropology, science studies, cultural studies, literary studies, disability studies, psychology, and history. We especially encourage scholarship which focuses on areas outside the US and the West.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to, practices that challenge: [after the jump]

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ~ March 5-7, 2009
Submission Deadline: November 1, 2008

The Executive Committee of the Tenth Annual Graduate Symposium on Women’s and Gender History at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is pleased to announce a call for papers.  The Symposium, which is the capstone event of the History Department’s Women’s History month celebration, is scheduled for March 5-7, 2009.
 
To celebrate and encourage further work in the field of women’s and gender history, we invite submissions from graduate students from any institution and discipline.  The Symposium organizers welcome individual papers on any topic in the field of women’s and gender history; papers submitted as a panel will be judged individually. Preference will be given to scholars who did not present at last
year’s Symposium.

Radical queer politics and anarchism have much in common. Queer theory
argues against traditional identity politics, recognizing the social
construction of 'sexuality' and identity categories. Anarchism argues
against any structured hierarchical arrangement of humanity that allows
some members of society to systematically exploit and oppress others.
Thus, both projects argue for a need to move beyond hierarchical and
naturalized arrangements of socially constructed identities--though, at
times, articulating those arguments in different ways. Nevertheless,
despite these commonalities, little has been written about the deep
connections between anarchism and radical queer politics. This edited
volume is an attempt to fill that gap.

With this book, the authors wish to assemble writings that are useful to
activists (i.e. not written in obscure academic jargon and relatable to
social movement contexts) working in the intersections of queer and
anarchist politics. Many anarchists use the term 'queer' as shorthand
for the LGBT community and have little understanding of what queer
theory can provide for a contemporary radical praxis and how it differs
from traditional LGBT politicsâ€"even some radical strands. Likewise,
there are many among the queer community who know little to nothing
about anarchismâ€"relying mostly on the sensationalist news medias'
construction of anarchists as terrorists, anti-organizationalists, etc.
This volume, then, will be split into three sections (theory, praxis,
and personal experience) featuring writing that deals specifically with
these intersections.

Interested authors should send a small abstract (just a paragraph
explaining exactly what it is you wish to do) along with your name and
brief bio (100 words or less, please) by August 15th to
propaganarchy@hotmail.com and rogue@riseup.net. Finished pieces will
range from 2500 to 5000 words. Below are some suggested questions and
issues for each section (feel free to come up with your own fantastic
topic too!):

Sept 2nd March For Our Lives: Money For Health Care And Housing Not For War!
Health care and housing should never be luxuries - not in the United States, not anywhere. Toward this end, the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign calls for you to join us as we fill the streets of St. Paul, Minnesota in a powerful, peaceful demonstration for the right to health care, housing and all economic human rights. We will march because as poverty, hunger, unemployment and homelessness grow throughout this country, political leaders from both major parties have abandoned us. We cannot afford to be silent. We cannot afford to be disappeared from the public eye and the political debates as our families suffer. This September we will bring together poor and homeless people of every race, background and age, students, social workers, union members, lawyers, religious leaders, artists and everyone who stands for social and economic justice. We will make our voices heard as we “March for Our Lives to demand “Money for Health Care and Housing, Not for War!�

Full Schedule of Events HERE