2017 Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities

June 01 - 04, 2017

In the U.S., violence is increasingly being chosen as a mechanism of self-reclamation for women, as they engage in battles (both real and symbolic) historically fought by men. For many women, this violence is wielded in the name of feminism, and used as a signifier for their access to economic, political and social equality.  In popular culture, art, and literature, images of tough women illustrate a reclamation of space in a misogynist culture that seeks to contain their bodies.  In the U.S. military, women are more than ever encouraged to take on the physical challenges of rigorous training and combat, to participate in acts of war and in the protection of their country.  The ways in which these acts are being imagined as feminist necessitates a “difficult conversation” for feminists who have been trained to work toward the eradication of patriarchy, especially in its historically troublesome reinforcement of power structures. 

This Birds of a Feather discussion will be facilitated by scholars of popular culture and performance studies, the militarization of women and feminism, and the writing and art of incarcerated women. The facilitators welcome and encourage participation from those who bring a historical perspective on U.S. culture and institutions, as well as those who are focusing their own research in other countries.  Ultimately, this will be a productive dialogue designed to share the perspectives and challenges of individual scholars and activists, as well as the groups that we study or represent.