Deadline: 31st of May (end of day)
Gender studies are invaluable for understanding, explaining, and challenging processes of social inequality. They also contribute to the analysis, imagination, and practice of new and more emancipatory ways of embodiment, labour, care, governance, and relationships to land and nature. Despite their analytical and societal relevance, the legitimacy of gender studies is repeatedly called into question. The ongoing political battle over the very existence of the category «gender» once again highlights the crucial importance of research and initiatives that challenge binary, simplistic, and essentialist views of “men” versus “women”, “masculinity” versus “femininity”. In an increasingly polarised world, inclusive feminist and queer voices are essential to nourish democratic processes that can promote social justice for all.
Feminist movements in Belgium and around the world have always played a key role in developing inclusive policies and advancing gender equality. Gender studies strengthen that work through critical research and education, acting as a bridge between the academic sphere, civil society and the arts.
This underscores that thinking about gender is far from a niche or abstract academic concern — it stems from collective reflection on lived experience and offers a powerful response to ongoing challenges such as austerity, exclusion, and polarising ideologies.
It is in this context of challenge and urgency that Sophia is organising its sixth edition of the State of the Art in Gender Studies in Belgium conference, on 12 and 13 November, at the Pianofabriek in Brussels. We aim to bring together people from academia, civil society, and the arts. Our goal is to exchange ideas
and practices in a dynamic and interdisciplinary way. We warmly invite researchers from all backgrounds, activists, grassroots movements, artists, performers, and filmmakers to share their recent work (from 2022 onward) that draws from feminist, queer, and intersectional perspectives.
For this edition, Sophia has elaborated 4 key thematic streams (detailed below) reflecting a broad range (though non-exhaustive) of topics. Contributors are welcome to submit to one or more streams as the interdisciplinary nature of gender studies allows for many overlaps. Even if your work does not align perfectly with the streams, we warmly encourage you to apply and help us expand the scope of our conference.
For this edition, Sophia has developed four thematic streams reflecting a broad yet non-exhaustive range of topics:
- Gender-based violence
- Care
- Bodies
- Space
Contributors are welcome to submit to one or more streams as the interdisciplinary nature of gender studies allows for many overlaps. Even if your work does not align perfectly with the streams, we warmly encourage you to apply and help us expand the scope of our conference.
Who can submit?
- Researchers: PhD, postdocs, professors, Master’s student, unaffiliated researchers
- Civil society organisations and activists, grassroots movements conducting research to foster their own practices through a gendered lens
- Artists, performers and filmmakers using a gendered lens in their practice
What to submit?
- Academic papers, works in progress, research projects
- Roundtable and panel discussion proposals (with identified participants)
- Workshops, reading groups, embodied practices
- Audiovisual pieces such as films and documentaries
- Performances
xFor this edition, Sophia has developed four thematic streams reflecting a broad yet non-exhaustive range of topics:
- Gender-based violence
- Care
- Bodies
- Space
Contributors are welcome to submit to one or more streams as the interdisciplinary nature of gender studies allows for many overlaps. Even if your work does not align perfectly with the streams, we warmly encourage you to apply and help us expand the scope of our conference.
How to submit?
Download and fill in the Word template here. Submit it by the 31st of May (end of day) to
info@sophia.be with “NAME SURNAME (or ORGANISATION) State of the art submission” as
the subject line.
For any questions, contact us at info@sophia.be Be sure to share this open call with anyone in your professional or personal networks who might be interested!
Following Sophia’s principle of equity and our budget constraints, there is a possibility for funding
support to the selected participants, depending on the format and the needs specified in your proposal. For participants for whom this would pose a barrier, please contact us at info@sophia.be for further discussions.
For any question, contact us at info@sophia.be
