Reading Rey Chow this month

I met Rey Chow a few months ago in Manchester. The day began with her lecture on films , Chinese films in particular and the representation of nation and a history that never was in these films (some of which are quite famous). What struck me are the parallels in Indian cinema and the re-imagining of the nation and its past. This was followed by another seminar at The Connerhouse which involved looking at clips from Spring in a Small Town. Repression and the nation were the title I think. What struck me is how much more relevant Chinese cinema of that era was as compared to now. It didn't use common tropes or clichés but told the story of a decaying land owning class. The emphasis was on the characters and their story as opposed to the past becoming a character of its own. 

This book challenged assumptions of what constituted 'Chinese culutre' especially when presented in the west. The issue of gender and it's representation were particularly important. 

Meeting in January

Hi All to follow up from Diane's blog post here are the details of the next meeting in January. See you at the next meeting.

Here's a link to the reading http://tinyurl.com/despentes-kingkongtheory

Text for January session

From Diane Ofili, the newest member  [ and by the looks of it the biggest gobshite]

Hello, this is the link to the next reading session in January 2014 : bit.ly/1c5pbro .It should lead an excerpt of  'The King Kong Theory' by Virginie DesPentes. The phrase that hits home  is 'I am more King Kong than Kate Moss'. It resonates with me as I have always taken pride in certain traits , like my directness and tallness, that are not necessarily 'feminine'. It in no way makes me value my womanhood any less , in spite of the bullshit  others have tried to brainwash me with.Can masculine and feminine identities happily co-exist within the same person ? Does accepting our manly sides [should we have any ] mean relinquishing our more girly ones or do they in fact compliment each other ?

Just out of interest have any of you heard of a book called 'Is there anything good about men ?' by Roy Baumeister . It would be interesting to see how male-centric texts or points of view intersect with the discussions of the group. Anyway I hope you enjoy the excerpt., I look forward to seeing you gals early next year !


All the best
Diane

19th November Meeting - Sara Ahmed

FIRST MEETING OF ACADEMIC YEAR 2013 – 2014

FEMINIST RESEARCH READING GROUP

FIRST MEETING OF ACADEMIC YEAR 2013 – 2014

Date: Tuesday 15 October

Time: 3.30 – 5pm

Venue: Didsbury Campus, Behrens 0.2

Reading: Chapter 1 – Social Abjection, taken from Tyler, I. (2013) Revolting Subjects: Social Abjection and Resistance in Neo-Liberal Britain

For a copy of the reading,

please contact us through the blog

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Related Events

11 November – Sand Bar – Screening of 15 Park Avenue

A film about a woman’s struggle through mental illness in India. Followed by discussion. The film is being screened as part of the Trauma film club’s mental health season. This is also an Asylum magazine event. http://www.hssr.mmu.ac.uk/trauma/november-2013-ruminations-on-madness/

Racialising emotional labour and emotionalising racialised labour: Anger, fear and shame in social welfare by Yasmin Gunaratnam & Gail Lewis

It has been a while since we met up. How about we meet up next on 5th June from  4 pm – 6pm 

Room number -  Birley 0.2  Didsbury Campus

We are now based in Disbury Campus http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/travel/didsbury/

The paper  for this session is - Racialising emotional labour and emotionalising racialised labour: Anger, fear and shame in social welfare by Yasmin Gunaratnam & Gail Lewis. 

If you need a copy of the paper send me an email. 

If you have any papers/book chapters you would like to discuss do send them to us. 

The Discrimination and Abuse of Trans* Women

"In spite of a more understanding & diverse world, often supported by robust equality legislation, Trans Women are still too often marginalised, discriminated against, excluded from services and from female spaces, at a much greater incidence than the general female population. They are too often denied services, excluded, abused, violently attacked and even murdered. ( At least one a day around the world) Our discussion today will introduce the basics of Trans Awareness, the incidents and causes of discrimination, the abuse & violence this community regularly suffers and the consequent devastating effect on individuals.We will also discuss how this unacceptable behaviour can be changed and suggest some actions for improving the acceptance and respect for all Trans* women. Although we are focusing on Women today, Trans Men, particularly at the start of their transition suffer equally from abuse, attack and murder."

Interesting discussion tonight. Here is a link to the recording of the event click here.  Some of the issues that came up were of sexuality, of how trans* women and men are thought of as asexual or their sexuality is not adequately understood, which problematises  the definition of homosexuality. 

The link between gender and sexuality was also explored and also how one's awareness of gender is formed earlier than one's idea of sexual orientation.  What are your thoughts? would love to hear from you. 

Rachel Mann- Dazzling Darkness

Dazzling Darkness  is a true story about searching for one's authentic self in the company of the Living God. Rachel Mann has died many 'deaths' in the process, not the least of which was a change of sex, as well as coming to terms with chronic illness and disability.

Through these experiences she has discovered that darkness is as much a positive place as a negative one, inhabited by the Living God – the Dark God, the Hidden God. This is the God many of us, because we try to make our lives safe and comfortable, are too afraid to meet. This is the God who is most alive in those things we commonly associate with the Dark – failure, loss and brokenness.

The Christian church has legitimated certain ways of talking about God – male, fatherly, monarchical and so on. Many believe these descriptors tell the exhaustive truth about God. In accepting the complexity of her sexuality and identity, Rachel Mann has been able to explore with a greater freedom what God might look like to an 'unconventional creature' like her.

Rachel Mann is a Church of England priest and is Resident Poet at Manchester Cathedral. Her work – on rock music, poetry and theology – has been widely published in magazines, anthologies and newsprint

FRRG - Film analysis Girl With a Dragon Tattoo.

Since we usually read papers why don't we analyse a film this time. 'The girl with the dragon tattoo' by Stieg Larsson (Swedish version with subtitles) created quite a stir when released in English.

It will be nice to analyse the film and look at the way it treats gendered violence in Sweden and how violence against women isn't dependent on nationality. The movies/books also looks at ideas of human trafficking it will be interesting to look at that aspect too.

Refreshments will be provided.

MMU only has the the DVD for the first film if you have the other two could we borrow them? Thank you. 

Date: 7th February 2013

Time: 4:00 pm

Venue: Elizabeth Gaskell Campus M13 0JA

A discussion on Gloria Anzaldua's book

We discussed  "movimientos de rebeldía y las culturas que traicionan" the second chapter in  Gloria Anzaldua's  book Borderland / La frontera: the new mestiza

Click here to hear an audio recording of the discussion.


Comments and critiques are welcome. 

Reading group's meeting.

Hello there let's pick up from last year how about reading (suggested my Miguel) "Borderland / La frontera: the new mestiza" by Gloria Anzaldua, chapter -2: "movimientos de rebeldía y las culturas que traicionan". How about meeting on 25th January 4pm?  Elizabeth Gaskell Campus. M14 0JA

Drop me an email if you want the paper.