In the European Union, the politics of gender and equality have been considered as a success story for a few decades.
Nowadays, right-wing populist movements spread all over Europe and mobilize against gender politics and sexual self-determination. Once claimed and achieved rights and practices – for example in the field of sexuality and reproduction – are questioned again.
Together with European experts from politics, science, and the field, we want to discuss which historical and ideological sources contemporary antifeminism refers to and how the mobilization of right-wing populists influences Europe and the politics of the EU. Is there a chance to rethink and establish a new kind of emancipatory politics in this phase of transition?
Expulsion, flight, and immigration – central problems of our times – play a big role in media reports. Does the presentation of such a social diversity not necessarily require a diversity within editorial offices as well as radio and television stations? According to statistics of “Neue deutsche Medienmacher” (New German Media Professionals), only every 50th member of the editorial staff in Germany has foreign roots; even though every fifth inhabitant of Germany has a migratory background.
We want to discuss this topic at the 6th media lab with the following guests: with the presenter, journalist, and writer Hatice Akyün (e.g. “Einmal Hans mit scharfer Soße“) and the chairwoman of “Neue deutsche Medienmacher” Sheila Mysorekar. Moreover, the current administrator of the Facebook news channel “WDRforyou” at WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk) Isabel Schayani and the author at ZEIT ONLINE Vanessa Vu (“Meine Schrottcontainerkindheit”) will participate in the plenary session and the following roundtable. Charlotte Wiedemann (freelance journalist and book author) will give the keynote speech.
Like last year, the Foundation Women in Europe will support the media lab.
The Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM) can be found at Peter-Welter-Platz 2, 50676 Cologne/Köln, Germany.
Up to now OWEN organized several projects in cooperation with women's NGO'S for peace, as for example „Peace Dialogue“, „network for peace – Omnibus1325“ as well as with activists from regions in crisis, in order to create political structures and networks in favour of civil societies. The workshop is part of long-term political engagement-scheme. Beside the NGO's from Eastern Europe, from Armenia and Azerbaidschan, the delegates in charge of gender politics of the regional bureaus of the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation in Kiew and Tbilisi participated as well.
German and Turkish scientists, journalists, politicians and political activists have been inviteded to participate at our conferences in Istanbul and Berlin to explore current developments of gender policies in both countries and to discuss whether the EU-policies concerning gender equality are still playing a role as a major impulse for gender equality in the member countries. The two public evening events have been concerned with current questions of women's movements in Germany and Turkey, as for example in the Gezi-Park and the Blockupy movement. Another part of the conferences in Berlin and Istanbul have been visits at numerous women's projects and - in Berlin - there has also been a tour of the Reichstagskuppel.
With these two correlating events we want to make a contribution to a deeper understanding of gender equality from a Turkish as well as a German perspective.
Starting point for the Symposium is a degree of fatigue towards Europe, specifically regarding gender and equal opportunities policies. These days the EU and the EU Parliament are lacking faces, voices and a political agenda with utopian potential, which could be mobilised in favour of gender democracy and emancipatory processes. In face of the current economic and financial crisis this seems problematic to us.
With this event we wish to face up to these questions with contributions from the fields of science, culture and gender-policy.
Symposium with Exhibition on January 19/20, 2008, at Römer 9, Frankfurt/Main (in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Hessen, the Frankfurt based foundation maecenia, and the Evangelische Stadtakademie in Frankfurt.)
Exhibition from January 18 to February 9, 2008, at the Römer 9, Frankfurt/Main (in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Hessen, the Frankfurt based foundation maecenia and the Evangelische Stadtakademie in Frankfurt.)
Symposium and inaugural event of the Foundation Women in Europe on November 18 and 19, 2005, at the Karmeliterkloster, Frankfurt/Main (in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Hessen).