Background*
Despite the Arab world being predominantly associated in Europe with jihadism, war and refuge, its activists, intellectuals and artists are rarely seen or heard here. This applies even more to feminist and gender-critical initiatives from the Arab world. With European stereotypes of patriarchal societies and anti-Muslim racism, women’s political views, alternative narratives, and perspectives from Arab societies are often silenced and with them their hopes, doubts, assessments, and analyses.

The diversity of feminist and gender-critical initiatives in times of crisis and war is the starting point of this panel discussion. Questions which will be discussed with activists and academics from different generations are: how do various feminist and gender-critical initiatives assess their developments in recent years? How do these actors relate to the respective authoritarian, repressive state? What is the relationship between Islamic and so-called ‘secular’ women initiatives? How important is this line of division? How can a common ground for basic political demands be found for the entire region? Which conflicts between feminist, women’s and gender policy actors in Europe are necessary and what kind of cooperation is possible?

 

Time and location | Monday, 15 October 2018, 19:00 – 21:00
Central Library Vienna – Am Gürtel, Urban-Loritz-Platz 2a, 1070 Vienna

 

Program
Safa Belghith
freelance journalist, Tunisia

Lena Meari
Institute of Women’s Studies, Birzeit University, Palestine

Omaima Abou-Bakr
Cairo University and Women and Memory Forum, Egypt

Chair | Helmut Krieger, University of Vienna/VIDC
Welcome | Magda Seewald, VIDC

Languages | English and German with simultaneous interpretation

Registration | seewald@vidc.org

 

For more information visit the VIDC website

 

*The text of this post is reproduced from the VIDC’s website. Copyright of the featured image lies with © Mona Abaza