Three-D Issue 29: Women’s Media Studies Network
Milly Williamson
The MeCCSA Women’s Media Studies Network (WMSN), is an active network that hosts and funds events that relate to the issues of concern to women who teach and research in the broad area of Media Studies. Please do get involved – we always welcome new members.
In 2016/17 WMSN funded and/or ran the following successful events:
- In May 2017 we co-funded the Sexuality Summer School ‘Why be Normal?’ at Manchester University led by Jackie Stacey, Manchester University.
WMSN Budget Contribution: £600 - In March 2017 we funded Women in the Media Industries: Inputs & Influences, led by Gamze Toylan, De Montfort University, Leicester.
WMSN Budget contribution: £550
This year we are funding a further two events, and we can support at least one more. If you have a good idea, please contact Milly Williamson. Please do go along and support either/both of this year’s important activities – please contact the organisers. For further details – see below:
Women in radio during conflict and crisis
All-day workshop, 8th March 2018 (International Women’s Day), University of Sheffield
Organiser: Emma Heywood, E.heywood@sheffield.ac.uk
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (2017), women comprise approximately 50 per cent of refugees worldwide, mostly as a result of conflict, and are often put at greater hardship than men in these situations based upon their gender. With men either killed or at war, women become the heads of households, conservers of the community and rebuilders of the economy. The significant impact of conflict and crisis on women, who have also often become targets of sexual violence, is recognised in the UN Security Council’s resolution 1325.
As media coverage of women in conflict and crisis is increasing, the role of radio within this merits further exploration. Of all forms of media, radio occupies a particular place in conflict-affected areas, providing a low-tech and low-cost public space, being cheap and portable, not relying on a mains source of electricity and being able to target illiterate or orally-based cultures. For women in these societies, the intimate nature of radio also ensures a safe haven, away from male or mixed environments, in which to seek comfort, advice and helplines. It also provides the opportunity for women, as employees, to represent their female audiences and reach out to them.
This workshop aims to examine the extent to which radio provides a platform for women who are, or have been, in conflict and crisis. It addresses the three areas of radio, women, and conflict and crisis from multiple angles ranging from strategies to improve media gender recognition and representation, safety and protection of women journalists, freedom of media, stereotyping, amongst others. Drawing on practice and academic research, discussions will focus on radio by, for and about women in conflict and crisis.
We invite contributions from academics and practitioners with experience in radio and international conflict with the aim of exchanging knowledge and best practice.
Consoling Passions Conference
The Women’s Network is also part-funding this year’s Consoling Passions conference at Bournemouth University, Dorset, 11 – 13 July 2018. Consoling Passions is an annual feminist conference which has twice been hosted at UK universities. If you wish to participate please contact Chris Pullen – cpullen@bournemouth.ac.uk.
If you wish to host a WMSN event in the future please contact Milly Williamson, Chair of WMSN, milly.williamson@gold.ac.uk
If you are attending this year’s MeCCSA conference please come to the WMSN annual meeting. We will be electing our committee and we would love new people to get involved.