Conversations in Conflict Studies Presents Selina Gallo-Cruz

Selina Gallo-Cruz, associate professor of sociology, will present "From Rape to Ecocide, Feminists Respond to Nonviolence."

In this talk, I will present an in-depth analysis of feminist writings in response to and in engagement with nonviolence for issues of importance to women’s liberation and peace and justice movements: issues of power and empowerment among liberation movements; sexual harassment, assault, rape and violence against women; militarization and war; and systemic forms of violence and exploitation found in racism, colonization, neo-imperialism and ecocide.

I draw on feminist activist writings from a particular era in which women were explicitly addressing the relationship between feminism and nonviolence, beginning in 1971 and developing through 2000.

Many of the contributors were actively involved in both movements while others stood firmly in feminist movement but offered substantive responses to the contradictions, shortcomings and oversights of the nonviolence movements as not yet fully supportive of women’s liberation among the many forms of liberation it touted.