> gender research and violence
> disciplinarity/interdisciplinarity
> diaspora and migration
> gender and media
Gender research and violence
Main contact: Marianne Hester - marianne.hester@bristol.ac.uk
This subgroup will bring together researchers working on gender-based interpersonal violence and gendered violence in contexts of trans/national conflict. Gender-based interpersonal violence such as violence against women in its many forms, and trans/national conflict including wars and intra-community conflicts, tend to be studied as separate areas. The subgroup will provide a common space where these different aspects of ‘human security’ can be explored and understanding of gender constructions and processes related to violence and conflict further enhanced.
The United Nations defines ‘any act of gender-based violence’ as violent or abusive behaviour resulting or likely to result in harm to women, and occurring in the family, within the general community and perpetrated or condoned by the State. This definition links gender-based violence to the structural inequalities faced by women in particular, and provides a wide umbrella that encompasses interpersonal violence such as domestic violence and rape, gendered violence in the context of wars and national conflict, as well as violence such as trafficking in contexts of increasingly globalised markets. Within the space of the last thirty years the many forms of gender-based violence, and violence against women in particular, have shifted from being ‘private’ issues, to being recognised as public issues and organised against at a global level. Transnational influences and global alliances have become increasingly important in changing policies and practices at both national and international levels, and for understanding the processes and dynamics involved in gender-based violence. At the same time, in different countries and at different times there may be focus on only certain forms of violence as ‘gender-based violence’, with policy debates and campaigns focused on a ‘single issue’ such as domestic violence or rape in war. Work on both interpersonal violence and on trans/national conflict has also generated knowledge about gender and violence that engages with masculinity, sexuality and intersectionality, examining different positionings and experiences of women and men as violaters and violated, peacemakers, peacekeepers and peacebreakers.
The study of gender with respect to interpersonal, national, transnational or international violence and conflicts have developed in many different directions, and involved a wide range of scholars from many disciplines. The Subgroup creates the exciting prospect of dialogue and sharing of findings and theoretical developments across different topics and approaches.
One of the events to be organised by the Subgroup is an international virtual seminar for postgraduate and masters students
Disciplinarity/interdisciplinarity
Diaspora and migration
Gender and media
