Events

Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F038498-0030, Hagen, Firma Carl Brandt Zwieback und BisquitPublic events

Women and the politics of work

7 March 2014

To mark Women’s History Month, we are bringing together women who took action in the workplace: Sally Groves, who played a key role in the Trico Equal Pay Strike in 1976; Miriam Glucksmann, a sociologist who wrote Women On The Line after a year working in a motor parts factory; and Mila Navarra from the campaign organisation Justice For Domestic Workers.

Family History Day and opening of exhibition on the history of women and work

15 March 2014

Together, we have been researching the history of women’s work in the local area. As part of the Know Your Bristol project, a group of women from Single Parent Action Network has been working alongside researchers from the University to find out about the hidden history of women and work. Ths family-friendly celebration of art and history shares the exhibition we have made, and our contributions to the Know Your Place website.

Workshops

Workshop 1: Women, Work and Value: Definitions, Approaches, Conceptual Frameworks

8 March 2014

This workshop asked how we measure and define the value of work. How is work categorised (paid vs. unpaid, domestic/caring vs. work outside the home)? How can we conceptualise the value of work (use value vs. exchange value, emotional, political, cultural, social values, value judgements etc.?). Discussion centred around position papers from scholars in a range of disciplines, kickstarting the interdisciplinary dialogue at the heart of this network.

Speakers included Kate Boyer (Geography, Southampton), Chiara Bonfiglioli (Law, Edinburgh), Melanie Bell-Williams (Film, Newcastle), Vicky Ball (Film, Media, and Cultural Studies, Sunderland), Harriet Bradley (Sociology, Bristol), Tindara Addobbo (Economics, Modena and Reggio Emilia).

Workshop 2: The value of women’s work: between the subjective and the economic

Villa Schifanoia, European University Institute, Florence. 24-25 October 2014

Women and men attach all kinds of values to the range of activities which they refer to as work. Such subjective evaluations of work are shaped by and exist in tension with cultural representations of work, and the value of work as defined in economic terms and academic and public debate. This workshop focuses on the tensions between individual, public and cultural valuations of work, and explores the ways in which the gendered construction of work sheds light on these tensions. In what ways are subjective valuations part of wider political, academic and socio-economic debate on women’s work and work generally, and what kinds of tensions emerge? How do individuals and societies distinguish between work and non-work? How is care work experienced, culturally represented and valued? How can an analysis of gender relationships and identities shed light on the values attached to work and on changes over time and across space?

Download The value of women’s work: workshop programme (PDF, 289kB)

Workshop 3: The politics of gender, work and value

Central European University, Budapest. 7-8 March 2015

Keynote speaker: Professor Eileen Boris (UC Santa Cruz). This workshop addresses women’s work as an object of political debate, as well as the gendered nature of work as a basis for collective action and mobilization, policy-setting, and social critique.

Download The politics of gender, work and value - workshop programme (PDF, 192kB)

Workshop 4: Looking back, looking forward

Glasgow, spring 2016