Cyberfeminism in the Middle East and North Africa Region: Concepts, Case Studies, Methodologies

Call for Papers

This event is supported by the Leverhulme Trust.

Call for Papers

Women’s use of social media for activism and resistance to the status quo has been growing and evolving since the 2011 waves of uprisings, marking the rise of cyberfeminism. Through cyberfeminism, women refute hegemonic discourses by sharing their stories and experiences individually and collectively, experimenting with new tools and strategies enabled or restricted by the surrounding context. Nevertheless, their cyberfeminism is increasingly challenged by threats and intimidation both online and offline.

This symposium on Cyberfeminism in the Middle East and North Africa region provides a platform for critical discussions and explorations into the intersections of feminism and digital technologies within the context of the MENA region. This one-day event comprises two thematic panels, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, addressing key aspects of cyberfeminism: conceptual frameworks, case studies, and methodological and ethical considerations in researching cyberfeminism.

We invite submissions of abstracts for 15-minute papers addressing one of the two panel themes outlined below. Abstracts should be no more than 300 words and include a title, author(s) name(s), institutional affiliation (if any), and contact information. Please specify the panel to which your paper relates.

Submissions should be sent to Mustafab2@cardiff.ac.uk by 1 June 2024. We especially welcome submissions from postgraduate/early career researchers.

Panel topics

1. Cyberfeminism: Potentials, Challenges, Case Studies

This panel invites papers that examine the potentials and challenges of cyberfeminism within the MENA region. Topics may include but are not limited to:

• New theoretical frameworks for understanding cyberfeminism in regional contexts.
• Online feminist voices, subalternity, visibility.
• Digital intimacies, emotions, relationships, and solidarities.
• (Un)popular feminisms.
• Anti-feminist backlashes and digital forms of resistance.
• The offline impacts of cyberfeminism.
• Access and gender inequalities.
• Diaspora cyberfeminism.

2. Methodological and Ethical Questions in Researching Cyberfeminism

This panel addresses methodological and ethical challenges inherent in researching cyberfeminism in the MENA region. Scholars are encouraged to critically examine issues such as access to data, power dynamics in digital spaces, ethical considerations in online research, and the decolonisation of methodologies. Presentations may also explore innovative approaches to studying cyberfeminist practices and experiences, including activist research and feminist digital ethnographies.

Bursary support

A small contribution to travel funds is available to assist speakers without institutional funding with their travel expenses. Applicants interested in applying for travel support are encouraged to indicate their need for assistance when submitting their abstracts.

Important dates

• Abstract submission deadline: 1 June 2024
• Notification of acceptance: 15 June 2024
• Symposium date: 18 September 2024

Contact information

For enquiries and submissions, please contact Dr Balsam Mustafa at Mustafab2@cardiff.ac.uk.

We look forward to welcoming scholars to engage in enriching discussions and contribute to advancing scholarship on cyberfeminism in the MENA region.