The Inaugural Global Women and Hellenism Conference Commences! Some thoughts

As an author with an interest in women's empowerment, I wish i were able to attend the Global Women and Hellenism conference. I will certainly be watching the proceedings online. On the occasion of the conference's commencement, several issues regarding diaspora women were following me today, powerfully. 

I am sharing for the sake of conversation, as I anticipate listening to the presenters and their framing of issues and personal experiences:

• Diaspora women authors, artists, and researchers (novelists, poetesses, academics). How their writings about issues connect with the concerns of the conference participants.

• Diaspora feminist women and their writings. How their feminisms matter in connection to the conference.

• How does knowledge about the histories, experiences and issues in the various diasporas matter (as explored, say, in Greek Australian and Greek American studies); the enduring gender segregation in diaspora organizations for example.

• Second and third generation working class women; their experiences within and outside middle class parishes.

• Women of alternative sexualities, their experiences within parishes and beyond. Working class and middle class LGBTQ women.

• Women in interracial marriages and their place in the "community."

• The Church and women

• Diaspora women of radical politics vis-a-vis the ethnic "community."

• Writings about the meanings of "Hellenism" in connection to globality, their significance in thinking about the major theme of the conference.

 

• Diaspora Greek women and their relations with Other stigmatized and exploited women.

I would welcome your sharing of the questions and thoughts you are bringing as this historical event commences.

Yiorgos Anagnostou