BCRW Newsletter Fall 2007 Septermber Volume 16, No. 1 Towards a Vision Ain’t I American? Echoes of Life: of Sexual and Economic Women, Human Rights, Developing Ultrasound Justice and U.S. Identity in the Technologies Josephine Ho and Naomi Klein 21st Century Beryl Benacarraf ’71 Dorothy Q. Thomas 2 BCRW Newsletter No Feminists? No Justice. Dear Friends, The Newsletter is published biannually by Loyal readers of these pages won’t be surprised by the iteration of the word: justice. In the The Barnard Center for Research on Women record of the Center’s work, it ranks exceptionally high. But, why? To a multitude of the HOurs OF OperatiON world’s population, the concept of justice remains just that: an elusive ideal, a platitude, Monday–Friday something sought in the mysterious inner chambers of the Hague. But what does it mean 10am–5pm in practical, achievable, everyday terms? And what do feminists have to do with it? MAILING ADDRESS In the 36 years since the Center’s inception, we’ve seen American feminism evolve Barnard College from an intensely focused fight for the basic tenets of equality and dignity into a global 101 Barnard Hall 3009 Broadway movement that is broad and flexible enough to engage virtually any issue that affects New York, NY 10027 women’s lives. Poverty, racism, war and militarism, health care, immigration, education, environmental protection and preservation, sexual subjugation and sexual emancipation: Telephone 212.854.2067 Fax 212.854.8294 name the issue, and you’ll find feminists on its farthest frontiers, at the borders where Web address www.barnard.edu/bcrw connections between seemingly divergent issues can — and must — be made. Web Journal www.barnard.edu/sfonline The speakers and many projects featured at BCRW this semester are notable E-mail [email protected] for finding the common ground on which justice can be built — whether it’s between STAFF individuals living radically different lives or organizations pursuing radically different Janet R. Jakobsen, Ph.D., Director agendas. We bring you journalist and anti-globalization activist Naomi Klein and scholar Gisela Fosado, Ph.D., Associate Director E. Grace Glenny ’04, Administrative Assistant and sexual rights activist Josephine Ho, as well as Barnard faculty members Lee Anne Hope Dector, Web Designer Bell, Mona El-Ghobashy, and José Moya, each of whom do work that helps us to envision a more just future for all. We bring you human rights activist Dorothy Q. Thomas and, RESEARCH ASSISTANTS Kaleigh Dumbach ’10 from opposite U.S. coasts, the members of Q-Team and FIERCE!, all inspiringly adept Chanel Ward ’08 at transforming intellectual inquiry into practical, practicable action. And, as with alumna Dr. Beryl Benacerraf and Barnard professor Stephanie Pfirman, we bring you the work PHOTO CREDITS Cover, Student activists / photo by Vasiliki Varvaki. of women who make amazing strides in fields like math, science and engineering, where © iStockphoto. discrimination against women is surely more subtle than it ever has been, but sadly no Page 2, Janet R. Jakobsen / photo by Victoria Cohen less persistent. Page 3, Queer youth protest / courtesy of Q-Team. Displaced Iraqi citizens evacuated by U.S. Marines There is a crucial connection between the kind of knowledge produced by BCRW / photo by Patrick Baz. © AFP/Gettyimages. Kenwa and the quest for justice. To think through the relationship between sexual politics and Centre for HIV-positive women / photo by Brent economic policy, to understand the intersections of women’s and human rights activism, Stirton. © Gettyimages. Page 5, All photos © Gettyimages. to imagine how science might be transformed into a more inclusive discipline: such acts Page 7, Josephine Ho and Naomi Klein / courtesy of the provide the knowledge we need for action. Life-changing, world-changing action. The speakers. young people on the cover of this issue are calling, quite literally, for a better future. Page 8, Dorothy Q. Thomas / courtesy of the speaker. Page 10-11, Queer youth protest / courtesy of Q-Team. Thinking and doing remain the surest routes to getting there. And the Center remains a Page 11, Hematopoietic stem cells / photo by Dr. place where both are in ready supply. Join us for the coming semester. Dennis Kunkel © Gettyimages Page 12-13, Houston women's convention, 1977 / photo by Jo Freeman. © Jo Freeman. www. Sincerely, jofreeman.com. Page 13, Sudanese squatter / photo by Stockbyte © Gettyimages. Page 14, Beryl Benacarraf / courtesy of the speaker. Janet R. Jakobsen Lab student / photo by Katherine Wolkoff. © Barmard College. Page 15, Stephanie Pfirman and Diana Rhoten / courtesy of the speakers. Page 17, Lee Anne Bell / courtesy of the speaker. 3 BCRW Newsletter Friday, 10/26, 2:00 pm Saturday – Sunday, 11/10 – 11/11 Gender and Migration 8:30 am Registration 09/ in a Global Perspective Freedom on Our Terms: A workshop co-sponsored A New Agenda Tuesday, 09/18, 5:30 pm by the Barnard Forum on Migration and the For Women and Girls Echoes of Life: Columbia Institute for Latin American Studies A conference co-sponsored by Developing Ultrasound 1512 International Affairs Building, the Bella Abzug Leadership Institute and Columbia University, Girls Speak Out Foundation Technologies th 420 West 118 Street Hunter College A lecture with Beryl Benacerraf ‘71 Page 9 Page 12 Sulzberger Parlor, 3rd Floor Barnard Hall Page 14 Monday, 11/12, 8:30 am Registration Wednesday, 09/26, Noon Women, Minorities, The Storytelling Project: and Interdisciplinarity: A Model For Teaching About Transforming the Research Race and Racism Through Enterprise Storytelling A workshop with Diana Rhoten and Stephanie Pfirman and the Arts Satow Room, Lerner Hall A lecture with Lee Anne Bell Page 15 BCRW Library, 101 Barnard Hall Tuesday, 10/30, 5:30 pm Page 17 Ain’t I American? Thursday, 11/29, 5:30 pm Women, Human Rights, Towards a Vision of Sexual and U.S. Identity in and Economic Justice the 21st Century A lecture with Josephine Ho 10/ A lecture with Dorothy Q. Thomas and Naomi Klein James Room, 4th floor Barnard Hall Julius Held Lecture Hall, 304 Barnard Hall Thursday, 10/04, 7:00 pm Page 8 Page 7 Young, Queer, and Organized A panel discussion with Q-team and FIERCE! James Room, 4th floor Barnard Hall Page 10 11/ Friday, 11/02, 9:30 am Reconstructing Womanhood: A Future Beyond Empire A conference with keynote by Hazel Carby Sulzberger Parlor, Barnard College Page 13 Thursday – Friday, 11/08 – 11/09 Wednesday, 10/24, Noon Sexuality, Religion, Assessing The Political and Politics Impact of Egypt’s Human A conference with keynote by Rights Groups Michael Warner A lecture with Mona El-Ghobashy The Graduate Center, CUNY BCRW Library, 101 Barnard Hall Page 11 Page 16 4 BCRW Newsletter BCRW On the Web: From The Scholar & the Feminist Online Collection www.barnard.edu/sfonline www.barnard.edu/bcrw Issue 5.2 \ Spring 2007 Issue 5.3 \ Summer 2007 Blogging Feminism: Women, Prisons, Women and (Web) Sites and Change Religion Exhibit Edited by Gisela Fosado, David Hopson, Curated by Katherine Smith '07 of Resistance and Janet Jakobsen Guest Edited by Gwendolyn Beetham and Jessica Valenti There’s been something of a revolution In the last two decades, the population of in certain religions over the last Although popular interest in blogging is incarcerated women has increased by 400 quarter century: a feminist religious up, especially vis-a-vis electoral politics, percent. At the heart of this staggering voice can at last be heard. This exhibit feminist activity on the internet remains number is not only a certain philosophy of explores the ways in which women marginal to the mainstream. This issue crime and punishment, but also complex have become more fully incorporated of the Scholar & Feminist Online brings and largely unexamined attitudes toward into certain sects of Christianity together bloggers, vloggers, scholars, and those we imprison. Taking as its point and Judaism. Women’s persistent activists whose innovative work, especially of departure the April 2006 Scholar & activism surrounding their religious in the political realm, is essential to creating Feminist Conference, “Engendering lives has grown into movements for and analyzing our virtual world. Taking Justice: Prisons, Activism, and Change,” women’s ordination; an expansion full advantage of the interactive nature of issue 5.3 of the Scholar & Feminist and reevaluation of women’s roles in the Internet, contributors take on issues Online includes a full transcript of the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform of gender, cyber-activism, sexuality, race, proceedings; a streaming documentary, Judaism; the incorporation of feminist class, and globalization in the blogosphere directed by Rebecca Haimowitz, inspired ideals into church institutions; and the and beyond. As contributor Alice Marwick by the conference; as well as video of two increased participation of religious notes, “It’s important to create [online] BCRW lectures on the death penalty by groups in broader, more progressive communities of women that are based prison activists Angela Davis and Sister social justice initiatives. The documents around something other than consumerism. Helen Prejean (Dead Man Walking); included in this exhibit – newsletters, We need a more diverse array of female various reviews and excerpts of films pamphlets, informational studies, communities than these, and it’s really related to women in prison; a slide show journals, and resolutions from important to foster alternatives online of photography by Ava Berkofsky; and a organization’s meetings – reveal because so many other parts of the Internet discussion on college education within the history and diversity of women’s can be hostile, sexist, homophobic places.” prisons. involvement in religious communities. With original essays, a blog section for They also make clear the role that readers’ comments, and video of BCRW’s religion and spirituality have played in November 2006 panel on feminist blogging, advancing women’s rights throughout it’s required reading for anyone interested the United States and abroad.