GENDER.ED’s Annual Research Showcase 2024: Celebrating Another Year of Interdisciplinary Projects and Events in Gender and Sexualities Studies

Another successful edition of GENDER.ED’s Annual Research Showcase took place on 22 May 2024. More than sixty students, academics and researchers gathered to share and learn about the incredible and broad range of interdisciplinary projects and research in gender and sexualities studies at the University of Edinburgh.

The Annual Research Showcase opened with a word from GENDER.ED’s Director, Dr Radhika Govinda, followed by the roundtable Solidarity and Justice in Times of Crisis. We then showcased an inspiring collection of projects from students and academics from different schools and disciplines. The event concluded with a reception where attendees continued the conversation informally over food and drinks. 

GENDER.ED’s Director’s Report

Dr Radhika Govinda kicked off the Annual Research Showcase by presenting an overview of GENDER.ED’s activities and achievements and reflecting on past, present and future teaching, research, projects, collaborations, knowledge-exchange and impact initiatives.

Roundtable: Solidarity and Justice in Times of Crisis

Chaired by Professor Lesley McAra, the roundtable brought together GENDER.ED’s Associate Directors, Dr James Bell and Dr Wannes Dupont, as well as Dr Ebtihal Mahadeen and PhD candidate Natasha Fricker. Together, and from their different perspectives and disciplines, they addressed the question of how to disrupt the timeline of crisis and build solidarity and social justice in the present day. Dr Ebtihal Mahadeen’s presentation focused on feminist knowledge production in North Africa and the Middle East, and on the current Palestinian genocide as a central concern of the feminist cause. Dr Wannes Dupont then explored anti-gender ideology and movements, while PhD candidate Natasha Fricker spoke about transitional justice as a response to gender-based violence. Finally, Dr James Bell discussed trans and queer art histories and activism. The panel was followed by a Q&A discussion with the audience.

Project Tables and Poster Sessions

The research showcase featured 16 research and change projects presented in the form of interactive project tables and poster sessions. A a few of the projects were Girl* Up's Listen Up: Feminist Activism through Conversation , Deviant: challenging gender-based health inequalities in experimental artist film by Emily Beaney at Edinburgh College of Art, The Brutality of Fact: Ethics, Identification, and Consent in Women’s Autotheory by Isabella Shields at the School of Literatures, Languages & Culture, and The uncomfortable truth about gender (in)equity in veterinary medicine by Alina Paczesna and Ishita Parakh.

Thank you from the GENDER.ED team

We would like to thank the presenters, roundtable speakers and chair, attendees and organising team for making this event such a great success. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!