Author Archives: Grainne

EVENT: Understanding the ‘Irish’ Family: New Research and Perspectives

Irish Writers’ Centre
19 Parnell Square N
Dublin 1
Ireland

Friday, 9 January 2015 from 14:00 to 17:00

On eventbrite.

This Public Forum and Panel Discussion will present a range of new research on the changing nature of family life in Ireland over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries. The panel presenters are the authors of essays in a new collection to be launched at this event, entitled ‘The ‘Irish’ Family’ (London: Routledge, 2015) edited by Linda Connolly.  Click ‘attend event’ to view full programme.

The panel contributors bring new, innovative knowledge to the field by providing empirically grounded studies and new data in relation to a number of arenas (including, marriage, divorce, class, gender, motherhood, sexualities, emotional life, migration/emigration, race and ethnicity, children and young people, generations and the impact of technology on family life).

Key questions addressed include: Where does Ireland ‘fit’ in relation to the prevailing trends in 21st century family life apparent in other European societies? What are the distinctive features of ‘the family’ in Ireland? Is the ‘Irish’ family an institution in crisis and decline? Or, is it merely evolving, adapting and transforming into a plurality of more diverse family forms? What myths are perpetuated in relation to Irish families? Is it the case that conventional marriage no longer has a monopoly on family life? And what do we actually mean by ‘the Irish’ family?

Speakers include: 

Locating ‘the Irish Family’: New Trends and Research Questions

Linda Connolly 

Marriage, Fertility and Social Class in 20th Century Ireland

Carmel Hannan 

The Family in Ireland in the New Millennium

Tony Fahey

Family and the Meaning of Life in Contemporary Ireland

Tom Inglis

A Premature Farewell to Gender? Young People ‘Doing Boy/Girl’

Pat O’Connor

Non-sectarian Mothering in Belfast: the Emotional Quality of Change

Lisa Smyth

‘One of the best members of the family’:

Continuity and Change in Young Children’s Relationships with their Grandparents

Ruth Geraghty, Jane Gray and David Ralph

 Children, Cousins and Clans: the Role of Extended Family and Kinship in the Lives of Children in Returning Irish Migrant Families

Caitríona Ní Laoire

 ‘Going home’ To Where the Heart Is: Mixed International Families in the Republic of Ireland

Rebecca Chiyoko King-O’Riain (to be confirmed)

Staying Connected: Irish Lesbian and Gay Narratives of Family

Róisín Ryan-Flood

 Untangling the Wired Family: the impact of technology on 21st century families

Ciarán McCullagh

‘The ‘Irish’ Family’ volume will be launched after the panel discussions at 5pm. ALL WELCOME.

NOTE: Places for the public forum are limited so advance registration on eventbrite is essential.

Full programme to follow.

 

EVENT: Radical Valleys: Valley Women, Politics and Protest in the Past 40 Years: Saturday the 11th October

There are lots of things going on at the moment in Yorkshire and the surrounding area so I will try to update more.

There is an event this coming Saturday – the 11th October – in The Red and Green Club, 42 Bankwell Road, Milnsbridge, Huddersfield HD3 4LU. It’s called Radical Valleys: Valley Women, Politics and Protest in the Past 40 Years and looks great.

Programme and details below:

 

Radical women day

Contact details: radicalvalleys@hotmail.co.uk
Webpage: http://radicalvalleys.wordpress.com/2014/09/29/valley-women-politics-and-protest-in-the-past-40-years/
Facebook page for the Red and Green Club: https://www.facebook.com/redandgreenmilnsbridge

#Vote4equality: Thursday 22nd May, European elections

From email:

On Thursday 22nd May, the country will go the polls to vote for the European Elections. In addition, almost 180 parts of England and Northern Ireland will be voting in local councillors or Mayors. Today women make up just:
– 32% of elected councillors
– 13% of elected Mayors
– 32% of Members of the European Parliament

Local government wields an enormous amount of power – a quarter of all public spending goes through local authorities, and three-quarters of their employees are women. It is vital that women’s views are equally represented in decision making at this level.

What you can do:

Arm yourself with the facts: Read our top stats on women’s representation in local government
#Vote4equality: Tweet your council candidates! Find out who your local council candidates are and ask what they will do for women

Donate to Fawcett:

Here at Fawcett we work tirelessly in public and behind the scenes to improve the representation of women in all public bodies. becoming a member of Fawcett. Every donation will be used wherever the opportunity is greatest to achieve greater gender equality. Forwarding this message onto just two of your friends could double the income from this appeal. Why not spread the message by telling the community you’ve supported Fawcett’s fighting fund through Twitter and Facebook?

Established in 1866, Fawcett is the UK’s leading campaign for equality between women and men. Our vision is of a society in which women and men enjoy equality at work, at home and in public life. As a campaigning charity, we need your voices behind us and we are always in need of financial support. Not already a member? Join us today.

EVENT: screening at Holmfirth Film Festival: Miss Representation

From email:

I wanted to let you know about a screening at Holmfirth Film Festival of Miss Representation on 27th May, a documentary following the history of the (mis)representation of women in the media, with post-screening discussion.. The film hasn’t been screened theatrically in the UK before so we’d love it if you could circulate publicity about it to your members? Attached is an image for your use (funnily enough it’s v similar to the one on your site!).

You can read more about it here: http://holmfirthfilmfestival.co.uk/events/miss-representation-discussion/

And you can book tickets online here: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/miss-representation-discussion-tickets-11499089085?aff=es2&rank=1, or via Holmfirth Tourist Info Centre.

Hope to see some of you at the event, and many thanks,
——————————-
Lisa Brook
Film and Festivals Consultant
www.lisabrook.co.uk

NEXT HFC EVENT: THURSDAY MEET, 27th March 2014 at 7.00pm

Right so. Let’s try this again. (It didn’t work out so well the last time.) This time, we should do phone numbers and the like.

Next meeting: Thursday the 27th of March 2014, at 7.00pm.

–

The Huddersfield Feminist Collective (sometimes. meets on the last Thursday of each month from 7pm at the Sports(person)man Pub, 1 St Johns Road, Huddersfield, HD1 5AY.

Please come along – it’s informal and fun and you’ll be made welcome! The Sports(person)man pub has in the past kindly offered us one of the rooms off the main bar area for our exclusive use (where possible). If neither of the rooms is available, we can sit in the main area.

NEXT HFC EVENT: THURSDAY MEET, 30th January 2014 at 7.00pm

It’s been a while since we’ve had one of our last-Thursday-of-the-month meets so let’s hope we can get a crowd again.

Next meeting: Thursday the 30th of January 2014, at 7.00pm.

–

The Huddersfield Feminist Collective meets on the last Thursday of each month from 7pm at the Sports(person)man Pub, 1 St Johns Road, Huddersfield, HD1 5AY.

Please come along – it’s informal and fun and you’ll be made welcome! The Sports(person)man pub has in the past kindly offered us one of the rooms off the main bar area for our exclusive use (where possible). If neither of the rooms is available, we can sit in the main area.

PETITION: York Feminist Network – Lap dancing campaign

From email:

Hello,

I hope you don’t mind me sending you this quick message.

I’m a member of the York Feminist Network, and a number of our group are calling on City of York Council to reject the application for renewal of SEV (Sexual Entertainment Venue) licence from lap dancing club ‘Upstairs’ (part of The Mansion), on Micklegate in York. The current licence expires on 30 November 2013.

As Council policy states that we are not able to object on moral grounds, our campaign takes a more community-focused argument, concerned with the impact on local residents, creating ‘no-go’ areas for women and damaging both the character and reputation of York as a welcoming, family-friendly city.

This is the link to our petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/906/553/769/lap-dancing-clubs-no-place-in-our-community/.

If you are able and willing to share it amongst your group, that would be much appreciated.

Thank you ever so much,

Rachel (York Feminist Network)

EVENT: Feminism in the 21st Century: Privilege, Bias and Feminist Practice (5th March, 2014)

I’m going to this. Might see you there.

From email:

Timed to lead up to International Women’s Day, this one-day public forum will consider contemporary gender issues and persistent sexism. What does it mean to be a feminist in the 21st century and what are the new challenges facing women in an era marked by on-going global conflict and economic crisis? A panel of internationally renowned feminist thinkers will discuss the feminist now and the feminist future, alongside a day of networking opportunities and activities.

Questions under discussion will include:
Given recent high profile debates in the media and via social networking, what is the possible future relationship between Trans* people and feminists? What does the debate about intersectionality tell us about the state of feminism right now? Does the current worldwide scapegoating of the poor and working class have a particularly deleterious effect on women? Can new grass roots movements against austerity offer hope of positive change in gender issues? What are the connections and differences brought to light by recent media and legal attention to rape and sexual assault, both in the ‘bad old’ 70s and in the hyper-sexualised present of assaults posted to YouTube and ‘Everyday Sexism’? Does it still make any sense to speak of ‘post-feminism’, empowerment and sexual autonomy in the current context of commodification of sex and pornification of culture?

The day (5th March, 2014) will be accompanied by an activists’ fair including:

  • Stalls featuring women’s groups and feminist activities
  • Women’s choir
  • Feminist artwork and film screenings

Timetable for the day:

Activist fair opens at 11am

12.00 – 1.30pm Panel One: ‘Objectification’

  • Dr Jules Holroyd (Nottingham)
  • Dr Anna Bergqvist (MMU)
  • Finn MacKay (Feminist activist)

1.30pm – 1.45pm – break

1.45pm – 3.15pm Panel Two: ‘Intersectionality’

  • Rhian E Jones (Feminist activist and blogger)
  • Caroline Bayliss Green (MMU)
  • Well known feminist blogger #1 (invited, tbc)

3.15 – 3.45pm – break

3.45pm – 5.45pm: Panel Three: ‘Post-feminism and silencing’

  • Silence and ambivalence in discussions of post-feminism: Dr Katherine Angel (Queen Mary, University of London)
  • Jinan Younis (Altrincham Girls Grammar Feminist Group)
  • Dr Ginette Carpenter (MMU)
  • Well known feminist blogger #2 (invited, tbc)

5.45pm – 6.00pm – break

6.00pm: Generating Feminism: Plenary from Professor Iris van der Tuin (Utrecht)

7.00pm- 7.30pm: Discussion and closing remarks

7.30pm: Social evening (tbc)

This event is convened by members of the Institute’s research cluster on ‘21st Century Feminist Agendas’: Dr Ginette Carpenter, Dr Anna Bergqvist and PhD candidate in English Caroline Baylis-Green, and IHSSR Project Manager Helen Malarky