From Research to Practice: Finding Feminist Community as an Undergraduate Student

Mia Hiraani-Nelson, consciousness-raising coordinator for Girl* Up Edinburgh, reflects on the weave between her formal studies and her activism, and how feminist community has made her alert to new, previously unconsidered perspectives and intersections in gendered experience.

Reflecting on my academic journey at the University, I am struck by how feminism has permeated through my studies, influencing the courses I’ve taken, the essay questions I’ve picked and becoming the foundation for my research. I chose to study sociology and social policy because of my passion for feminism — studying feminist modules in my A-level sociology class was the first time I realised that I could translate my personal interest in feminism into the formal education system. Whilst at Edinburgh, I have learnt so much about feminist history, theory and research methodologies. I feel grateful to have learnt from so many wonderful feminist academics during my time here, who have so profoundly shaped me not only as a student, but as a person and as a feminist.

The culmination of my studies has been my recently-completed dissertation project. Even before thinking of a specific topic or area of interest, I knew that my research project would be rooted in intersectional feminist research methodology. After some consideration I decided to focus my project on feminism utopianism in public spaces, interrogating how utopic thought could be utilised within spatial planning to reimagine spaces for people of marginalised genders to thrive. I chose to interview women and non-binary folk who were involved in feminist organisations, inviting them to share their ideas for a utopian city designed by and for people of marginalised genders.

Whilst I was excited to have this opportunity to explore feminist issues in greater depth, I was apprehensive about the prospect of conducting interviews — particularly as several of the interviews were with fellow students involved in feminist societies on campus. Despite my anxious planning and preparatory reading, I was completely unprepared for how emotional I found interviewing to be. The subject matter led to emotional conversations about gender-based violence, fear and the shared frustration at the manifold ways that gender inequalities relentlessly shape our daily lives. Beyond this, I was struck by participants’ discussions of their work within their organisations/societies. Their descriptions of their organisations as spaces of deep connection and shared efforts to organise and advocate for gender equality were inspiring. Following my interviews, I decided to become a more active part of feminist activism on campus — which ultimately led me to Girl* Up.

I attended a few Girl* Up sessions, and felt enthused by the opportunity to discuss a spectrum of feminist topics in a welcoming, inclusive environment. When I saw that they were having an Emergency General Meeting to appoint new committee positions, it felt like a sign. So after delivering a short speech, I was delighted to join Girl* Up as the Consciousness Raising Coordinator. In my position, I run consciousness-raising circles (CRC) biweekly on a range of topics — from unpaid labour, to menstrual experiences, to BAME representation in Disney Princesses. My goal has been to create spaces where individuals can share a diverse range of experiences, and where we can collectively reflect on both the similarities and differences between our personal stories, rooting our conversations and reflections in intersectionality. We then zoom outwards; interrogating topics on a more macro-level to identify the structural dimensions which shape our experiences of gender. Finally, we turn to considering potential action in our chosen area — questioning what would be different in an ideal society, and what tangible steps can be taken to move towards this utopia. 

Running CRC has reminded me that feminist issues are never homogenous — at every session, someone presents a perspective I have never considered before, which has made me more mindful in seeking the nuances and tensions within topics. Joining Girl* Up has bridged the gap between my personal, reflexive experience of feminism and the more formal experience of studying feminist-related subjects academically. Being part of a feminist society has given me such a sense of community in my final year, and I am constantly inspired by our members’ activism and insights. 

Author Bio:

Hello, my name is Mia-Hiraani Nelson (she/her) and I’m the Consciousness Raising Coordinator for Girl* Up. I’m a 4th year student studying Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh. 

I’m particularly interested in the demystification of feminist discourse and I hope to become a feminist filmmaker!