By SARA GIBONEY
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – “Intersectionality: Gender, Race and Class” is the theme of the Women’s and Gender Studies No Limits Conference at the University of Nebraska at Kearney on Friday (March 7).
The conference, sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies programs at UNK, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, features 40 student research projects related to women and gender issues.
The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Nebraskan Student Union Ponderosa Room.
“You get a good sense of what students are researching in terms of women and gender issues from sociology to rape and war to child trafficking to literary criticism and sexual orientation,” said Linda Van Ingen, associate professor of history and director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at UNK.
Students from across the region will present their research.
“For students, it’s a really good conference experience,” said Van Ingen. “Part of the research experience is not just doing the research, but presenting it to get feedback.
“This is many students’ first experience presenting research and this is a supportive environment.”
Keynote speaker Shireen Roshanravan, assistant professor of women’s studies at Kansas State University, will present “Intersectionality, Integrity and Coalitional Becomings” at 11:15 a.m.
Roshanravan’s research interests include feminists of color theory, critical race theory and Asian-American studies.
Her work includes an article titled “Passing-as-if: Model-Minority Subjectivity and Women of Color Identification,” published in Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism. Her research has been used in current articles on “passing,” which is defined as a “cultural performance whereby one member of a defined social group masquerades as another in order to enjoy the privileges afforded to the dominant group.”
Although the most common form of “passing” occurs among gay men and lesbians, Roshanravan explores how it impacts Asian-American women’s transition to women of color politics.
Her keynote presentation at the No Limits conference will focus on recent developments in her research.
The No Limits Conference began in 1993 to allow students from all disciplines to present research on women’s and gender studies. Undergraduates, graduate students and recent graduates present research. Next year, the conference will take place March 13 at UNO.
The conference is supported by the UNK Faculty Senate Artist and Lecturers Grant, UNK History Department, UNK Sociology Department, UNK Ethnic Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies and the UNK Women’s Center.
NO LIMITS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Session 1 – 9:45 to 11:05 a.m.
Panel 1 – Girls’ Concerns, Girls’ Voices: Girls’ Studies ShowcaseFaculty Moderator: Tami Moore, family studies and interior design professor
Ashley Ines van Waes, UNL, “Vaginal Reconstructive Surgery in Eastern and Western Cultures: One Size Fits All.”
Shelbi Bretz, UNL, “wo(men): Reinventing Biblical Role Models for Young Christian Girls.”
Maggie Austin, UNL, “EGGS: A Zine for Young Women in the Arts.”
Panel 2 – Mirror, Mirror: Images of Women
Faculty Moderator: Grace Mims, counseling and school psychology professor and chair
Rachel Salyers, UNL, “War on Women.”
Marlene Omollo, UNK, “The Relationship Between the Media and Body Image Dissatisfaction.”
Stacie Kitschwar, SUNY Binghamton, “Beauty Inc.: Beauty vs. Reality.”
Panel 3 – R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Expecting Change
Faculty Moderator: Deborah Freedman, music and performing arts associate professor
Grayson Bailey, UNL, “Equality Through Pedagogy.”
Grant Pearce, UNK, “Labels: Who Are We?”
Grace Edson, UNK, “Midwifery and Child Birth in Nebraska.”
Keynote Speaker
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. – “Intersectionality, Integrity and Coalitional Becomings” by Shireen Roshanravan
Session 2 – 1 to 2:20 p.m.
Panel 4 – Debates About Rape in War: What Does it Mean and is it Inevitable?
Faculty Moderator: Carol Lilly, history professor
Roundtable Discussion: Derek Comba, Kara Mecure and Mason Redesco, UNK
Panel 5 – Issues Global and Local: Immigration, Child Welfare and Trafficking
Faculty Moderator: Carrie Kracl, teacher education association professor
Sarah Bend, UNO, “Should I Stay or Should I Go: Factors Affecting Latinas’ Decisions to Immigrate to the United States.”
Breanna Walker, UNO, “Identity Formation of Young Bi-Racial Girls Raised by a Mother of a Single Race.”
Lee Kreimer, UNL, “Family and Motherhood of Commercial Sex Industry Workers in Mumbai.”
Panel 6 – Metaphoric Fight: Wars on Women, Girls and Race
Faculty Moderator: Sandra Loughrin, sociology, geography and earth sciences associate professor
Nolline Omollo, UNK, “The Relationship Between Media Exposure and Eating Disorders – Anorexia and Bulimia.”
Charla Peeks, UNK, “Diagnosis by DSM Division: The Model for Medicating Girls.”
Loren Blake, UNO, “An Apple a Day: Intersection between Race and Nutrition.”
Panel 7 – You Are What You…:Images in Film, Fiction and Fashion
Faculty Moderator: Trish Holen, assistant director of the Women’s Center
Gabrielle McNally, University of Iowa, “The Slash In/Between: Reinscribing Duality in the Split-Screen Work of Shirin Neshat.”
Rachel Bonini, Creighton University, “The Objectifying Female Gaze and the Cover Art of Contemporary Romance Novels.”
Molly McPherson, UNL, “Constructing History: Structures and Silhouettes.”
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Source: Linda Van Ingen, 308.865.8772, vaningenL1@unk.edu
Writer: Sara Giboney, 308.865.8529, giboneys2@unk.edu
