November 2023 Conference with international participation "Gender violence in Africa: origins, motives, types. Methods and ways of struggle"

The Second Information Letter

Dear colleagues,

The Gender Studies Group of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences plans to hold a conference with international participation in the first decade of November 2023 on the topic.

"GENDER VIOLENCE IN AFRICA: ORIGINS, MOTIVES, TYPES. METHODS AND WAYS OF STRUGGLE".

One of the urgent tasks facing humanity today is the fight against the manifestation of various types of aggression, inequality, oppression, coercion, discrimination, violation of human and civil rights, sexism - that is, violence in all forms of life. This problem is particularly acute in the context of gender relations, both in developed and developing countries, including those on the African continent.

Ethnologists, cultural scientists, sociologists, political scientists, historians identify many types of gender-based violence, the common goal of which is to establish comprehensive control and full power of the dominant over the affected party.

Among the most frequently observed types of gender-based violence are domestic physical and sexual violence associated with cruel forms of treatment, sexual coercion, and other forms of violent acts against girls and women dictated by historical and cultural tradition; physical and moral and psychological violence experienced by people as a result of aggressive actions during interethnic, interstate and religious conflicts; emotional and moral and ethical violence, represented by a wide range of actions, such as crisis and conflict relationships, transformed into family violence, the requirement of strict observance of the rules of relationships in the hierarchical system of society, etc. Economic and political violence related to gender-based inequality of working conditions and wages, problems of social and political instability in society, suppression of disagreement with the authorities and regulation of the existence of citizens are highlighted in a special block. Finally, there is a kind of intellectual violence expressed by the intellectual dominance of the strong over the weak, European culture over African, men over women.

At the same time, the victims of all these various forms of violence, as a rule, are the most vulnerable groups of the population - children, the elderly, but most often they are women.

The conference offers the following topics for discussion:

    • Features of the formation and development of gender relations in traditional African societies as one of the causes of inequality and violence;
    • Gender inequality, prohibition systems and aggression in mythology and folklore;
    • Domestic violence. Types, types, forms, results;
    • Gender inequality, belittling of social status based on gender and age in the ethno-linguistic environment;
    • The policy of gender discrimination, limitation of opportunities and coercion in the education system at all levels (colonial and postcolonial periods);
    • Intellectual violence, its forms; and consequences;
    • Violence as a way of self-affirmation of a person and increasing her social status.
    • Female aggressiveness in war and peace;
    • Gender discrimination among the population of refugee camps and victims of the slave trade.
    • Religion and problems of discrimination of adherents on gender, ethnic and racial grounds;
    • Sexual violence and forms of combating it in modern African States. Activists, writers, public figures and their organizations;
    • Increased exploitation and violation of the civil rights of women, children and elderly Africans as a consequence of the policy of globalization;
    • Repressive and discriminatory policy of the state in relation to fellow citizens on the basis of gender;
    • Activities of international organizations to eliminate all forms of violence (UN, G-20, etc.);
    • Gender-based violence and inequality in Muslim societies;
    • Foreigners in Africa. Life between violence and freedom;
    • Violence and terrorism in the Sahel countries. Gender aspect.

We are also waiting for your suggestions on the topic of the conference. We do not exclude the submission of comparative materials on Asian and Latin American countries.

Experts on national and universal history, ethnologists, anthropologists and archaeologists, source scientists, sociologists and sociopsychologists, political scientists, philologists, literary critics, lawyers, cultural scientists, philosophers, representatives of public organizations are invited to participate in the discussion.

Applications for participation in the conference and abstracts of speeches (up to 3,600 characters – approximately 2 pages) are accepted until April 25, 2023 to the following e-mail addresses:
Krylova Natalia Leonidovna krylovanl@yandex.ru
Grishina Nina Vladimirovna eestimaa8@yandex.ru

The Application must specify:

    1. Information about the author – full name, place of work, position, academic degree and title.
    2. Address (with index), phone and e-mail for communication.
    3. The topic of the speech and theses (up to 3600 characters).
    4. The need for technical support of the performance.

The authors of the most interesting reports have the opportunity to publish their materials in the publication of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences, scheduled for 2024.

Organizing Committee of the Conference