Feminist approaches to the study of peace and conflict situate gender as a category that must be interrogated not only in our analyses of the causes and effects of conflict, but in our understanding of how peace is—and perhaps should be—built. Feminist scholarship in peace and conflict studies has long sought to “make women visible” as agents, actors, and victims of conflict and structural violence. Recent work has expanded upon these efforts by drawing from frameworks developed by Black feminists, such as intersectionality, and engaging with feminist questions of agency, embodiment, and affect to examine the interlocking relations of power that produce oppression. These analyses add complexity to our understanding of conflict as well as the potential pathways through which more peaceful and just societies may be built.
This roundtable discussion contributes to these debates by highlighting feminist scholarship on women’s grassroots political mobilizations against violence and oppression. The research projects discussed seek to make women visible as political actors engaged in the transformation of oppressive structures, building the community infrastructure necessary to support peace. These projects demonstrate the centrality of feminist theory for enriching our understanding of transformative approaches to grassroots peacebuilding.
Panelists:
- Beatriz Juárez Rodríguez, Assistant Professor, Carleton University
- Cerue Konah Garlo, Senior Gender Specialist, The Carter Center
- Lisa McLean, Visiting Research Fellow, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
- Moderator: Erin Corcoran, Executive Director, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
Originally published at kroc.nd.edu.