Make Your Own Damn Sandwich: The Future of Feminist Security Studies

I'm tired. It's the end of the semester, what else do you expect?

The future, the future... let's be honest, I don't know what to expect of the future, let alone what I'm going to wear tomorrow, what I'm going to eat for breakfast, or how I'm going to get my eye to stop twitching. It's insane and overwhelming to think that our class and some other people in the world have their eyes open to the many problems that surround us, yet there are still people who believe gay marriage is a sin and people who continue to say some woman deserve to be raped. *facepalm forever*

But despite my tiredness, I remain an optimist. Maybe it's because I'm a reader, but I believe stories are everything. A story can change your mind and show you a perspective you never considered. How do we get these narratives out there and start changing people's minds? There are so many angles to tackle these problems from - education, media, and politics all need major changes. I can't speak for the rest of the world, but Americans definitely seem to have very close-minded, uneducated notions about the world. For a country with so much influence in the global community, maybe we should start focusing our attention inward to fix the many domestic issues we have before we try and "spread democracy" around the world. Furthermore in order to learn about the narratives, of survivors (or anyone else), we have to develop the skills that will allow us to remain "attentive over time"... "The story might evolve, depending on location... as trust and friendship are developed... and as time passes" (Wibben 2011, p. 111). We need to be patient and aware of these changes. Never assume you know anything about someone's story or experience. Perhaps feminism needs to not just be "reaction to dissatisfaction with the way women have fared" but a way of life, a way of thinking that allows us to improve the state of the world (Wibben 2011, p. 111). 

In short, stories matter. I think in order for the future of FSS to be successful, we have to continue sharing/listening/telling these stories. It will be exhausting work... so somebody get me an energy drink!

- Jillian

Flirting with Danger: Power & Choice in Heterosexual Relationships.

Jillian and I went to see the film Flirting with Danger: Power & Choice in Heterosexual Relationships. I was already quite skeptical of just the title, as the term ‘flirting’, in my mind, brought up a connection to slut-shaming, as almost placing some blame on the victim. I interpreted it as a way of saying the women in the film were knowing towing the line between safety and danger, like a game.

A very interesting revelation brought up in the interviews, was that all the interviewees were highly educated and aware of what defined rape and sexual assault, yet they were not likely to label their interactions as such when they met the criteria. They would say they weren’t victims, they were not like ‘those’ women. I think this brings up a very important issue surrounding the stigma of being a survivor of sexual assault.

I really enjoyed how Lynn Phillips dissected the way popular culture idealizes two contradictory roles for women, that they are apparently suppose to embody at the same time: the overtly sexualized women and the ‘good-girl’ persona. Phillips showed clips of music videos, television shows, advertisements and many more that displayed these contradictory depictions. One second a woman is suppose to be a ‘strong’ woman in charge of her sexuality, the next she is suppose to be virginal and delicate. I’m definitely not sure what the solution to this will be, but it was extremely rewarding to have it pointed out so blatantly, as it was shown in the film.    

--Erika

Rape: A Lack of Conviction

Click the link to see the visual - out of an estimated 78,000 rapes in the UK each year, only 1,153 are convicted of their crime (data from 2009-2012) via Information is beautiful.

Davies Forum Workshop - Impressions I

(photos via Prof. Doubiago)

Cynthia Enloe Reflection

Meeting Cynthia Enloe was spectacular. I really enjoyed our discussion with her in our class but I felt as though the evening really put her in the "zone." I learned so much about the Boston bombing from a perspective that I really had not really considered, such as the militarization of the local police and the comparison of the bombing suspects to other criminals like the Aurora, Colorado shooter (rather than assuming their actions were based on terrorist motives). Her perspective was interesting and I am immensely curious about this topic and the role of race and religion in the narratives of the Boston bombers. Enloe really connected the language of feminism to the events around us and I enjoy her approachable way of teaching. She reminded me to look at all the events around us (and responses to those events) with my feminist lenses!

- Jillian


"If you have a toaster, life is good." - Cynthia Enloe

Workshop Reflection

The class workshop was an immensely positive experience for me. I have been having a lot of doubt about my goals in college and in academia and it was nice to meet so many educated women who really exhibit why research skills and education will be important for me in the future. Each of our guests was incredibly different and I loved the range of conversations that took place and the perspective that each woman brought to the table. I only wish we had more time and to continue these conversations and go more in depth on specific topics.

The drawing activity we did was surprisingly revealing – demonstrating how we all perceive different emotions in very distinctive ways. Anger and violence are often very sharp and distinct, while well-being is less so. Why is that? I feel immensely more connected to being in a “war-zone” because (even though this is a broad, sweeping statement) I feel like the planet is a war-zone, the United States is a war-zone, and though we are not fighting or experiencing violence and displacement in the same way it is experienced in the Middle East, we are individually connected to the conflict in a way that I’m still not sure I fully understand. Violence is in the undertones of our society, which could be why subconsciously we can describe it in more definable terms.

I also enjoyed learning about the various research projects the guests and my classmates are undertaking. I think it was important for me to see how others are connected to their research in order for me to realize I can pursue my interests and further my studies as well as engage others.

- Jillian

Human Rights Film Festival

As part of the Human Rights Film Festival, I saw the final film Project Z: The Final Global Event. It was very interesting! I enjoyed how the makers of the documentary used the very popular trend of the zombie apocalypse in nonfiction work. Though I feel that metaphor could have been better explained or introduced I think it brought forth several interesting questions and points. People need to wake up (stop being undead) and start living and making decisions to change the world we live in. The zombie apocalypse can be viewed as the end of human freedom, we all will become the drones of a militarized and government controlled society if we don’t actively pursue social change. It’s not necessarily a medical catastrophe or mutation of the human species that makes us undead; it is our unwillingness to go against the “norm” and our laziness to question the societal structures around us. I enjoyed the footage of the inner workings of military training and the development of video technology and how it connects to the video games that many people play. War is put on a screen and we easily destroy the enemy from a distance. These dehumanizing effects mutate the way wars are fought and how soldiers perceive the enemy. All of this information points to how war has transformed, both in financial and human costs. All in all a very interesting take on the military industrial complex.

- Jillian 

Reflections on Davies Forum Workshop Spring 2013

Though there were several noteworthy topics and issues of "feminist curiosity" discussed, there's a few that I think are particularly worthy of mention. As I'm sure was evident from my comments, I am very interested in the politics of authenticity. When I find myself thinking about this topic, there are more questions than there are answers, such as: What qualifies a person or group of persons to speak on behalf of someone else? What disqualifies someone from speaking on behalf to someone else? What role does allyship play in representation, advocacy, and authenticity? This is precisely the questions Linda Alcoff addresses in her piece, http://www.alcoff.com/content/speaothers.html

Secondly, I'm glad that Caron and I bonded on the issue of guilt, and discovered that its possible to use this guilt that we may feel (because of our privileged background, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc.) in constructive ways.

Lastly, though I didn't quite know how to respond, upon reflection I am glad that Sarai challenged my remark on "agency" with "you are never without agency!". Though I'm not sure that I agree, I think it's a good thing that the workshop was a "safe place" in which these perspectives could be voiced.

Lisa

Global Woman's Right Forum

Patricia Ariza’s talk at the Global Women's Rights Forum discussed many of the themes and ideas we have discussed in our class. Besides the obvious connection to the Cynthia Cockburn readings about Colombia’s armed and social conflict, Ariza also discussed the importance of women having “legitimate” space, and the significance of cultural resistance through theatre. The violence in Colombia has been going on for fifty years, resulting in the internal displacement of millions of people, especially women. Through the use of theatre, Patricia aims to start social dialogue through community-based performance, empower the disadvantaged, restore social memory, and use cultural resistance to battle inequality, poverty, and patriarchy.

By focusing on women’s issues in theatre festivals, Patricia and the women and women’s groups she works with demonstrate how artistic work can be important and relevant when used as a form of political activism. Patricia also spoke about the idea of using a public space and change it for the purposes of women. Groups of women occupy traditionally masculine spaces, such as a public square, and use them in a new ways. Women use their bodies as a means of protest. My favorite part of the discussion was when Patricia showed us how they used a runway for social performances (rather than the traditional fashion show, where woman do not speak and are merely walking hangers). Overall it was a really interesting talk and I enjoyed learning about the perspective of a woman from a Latin American country.

- Jillian 

"Democratic Republic of Congo: Rape" summary

Ann Jones' chapter, “The Democratic Republic of Congo: Rape,” in War is Not Over When It's Over describes the long-standing situation of rampant sexual violence in the DRC, emphasizing the ripple effect of rape perpetrated by militias during conflict to the broader population. The situation is compounded, Jones illustrates, by a patriarchal culture that undervalues women and denies them their rights. She explains how a long history driven by a "privatization of violence" - wherein individual men rouse private armies and ethnic militias for personal wealth and power - ultimately reinforced a structure that normalizes rape and transforms the act from a problem of attacking the female body to a form of humiliation towards men. Though this rape culture stems from violence between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes of the DRC, it became such a norm that common citizens (including teachers, pastors and even fathers) also participate in these acts of abuse. Extraordinary statistics and anecdotes concerning the high amount of women raped, gang raped, and raped multiple times; the wide age range among girls and women raped; the physical and psychological effects of rape; and disastrous tendencies towards victim-blaming further demonstrate the extent of which women are dehumanized and devalued under men in the DRC. Much of Jones' interaction and research occurs through her experience in working with the Gender Based Violence division of the International Rescue Committee and the Collectif des Femmes de Kamanyola, a local DRC group dedicated to providing support to victims of sexual assault.

Jones, A. (2010). "The Democratic Republic of Congo: Rape." War is not over when it's over: women speak out from the ruins of war. New York: Metropolitan Books.

*** I have the Kindle version of this book, which, unfortunately, does not show page numbers! I'm not sure how to cite this since I have no clue where several of these quotes/paraphrased ideas are located.

MALALA YOUSAFZAI: I have the right

Click through the link! Zen Pencils is one of my favorite things and this week's comic is definitely relevant to our class. 

- Jillian 

Summary of D'Costa Case Study

Bina D'Costa's case study of women who were subjected to rape and sexual assault during and after the Independence War of Bangladesh accomplishes two main things: (1) Examines the theme of silence as a response or rationalization to these instances of rape and/or sexual assault and (2) Problematizes the governmental response to these instances which included rehabilitation programs, forced abortions, war-baby adoption programs, and a "marry them off" campaign (143). According to D'Costa, the women experienced three types of silence: (1) On the part of the successive government (2) self-imposed silence or "negotiated survival" and (3) Silencing from social workers, activists, and human rights groups. D'Costa reports a variety of personal and/or methodology challenges that informed her study, such as encouraging the women to share their experiences, formatting interview questions, and deciding whether to refer to the women as "survivors" or "victims".

Summary by Lisa, Helen, Valeria, and Jillian