Call for Abstracts - To send contributions for the upcoming Agenda journal
on Family Politics
At the forefront of feminist publishing in South Africa for 20 years, the
Agenda journal raises debate around women’s rights and gender issues. The
journal encourages critical thinking, debate and social activism and strengthens
the capacity of women and men to challenge gender discrimination and
injustices.
The IBSS/SAPSE accredited and peer reviewed journal will be published in
mid-November 2008.
This journal issue aims to put a spotlight on the concept of motherhood,
fatherhood and the family as a “constructed” phenomenon; mediated, understood
and practiced by its varied peoples. The human race places high value on the
family, dubbing it ‘one of the most crucial social institutions for child
rearing’. Alongside family worth are expectations and undocumented laws on the
role and responsibility of the family. The mother and her “good” qualities are
at the core of the debate. Issues of parenthood vis-à-vis fatherhood and
motherhood are embedded in these discussions.
With an intention to particularly capture and examine motherhood and
‘family policies’ of the South, this journal investigate a number of issues
including definitions of ‘family’, absent fathers vs. absent mothers,
perceptions/realities of working mothers, the politics of breastfeeding, the
politics of adoption, unearthing motherhood myths, testing a long standing
stereotype – “mothers are apolitical”, the representation of mothers/family in
the media, contemporary women’s suppressive aspects of motherhood, ambiguity of
parenthood, young mothers/forced into the role of mother, gay families and
parenthood, maternity/paternity leave, the ‘ideal’ mother, motherhood and
sexuality, surrogate mothers.
We would also like to receive abstracts for articles that will investigate
the need for special courts that specifically deal with rape; the trend of
‘grooming victims’ by perpetrators; the reason for South Africa’s high rape
crime rate; how committed African governments are to counter rape; the situation
of men as survivors of rape - if there is not legislation around it, can men
legally be raped?
We invite contributors from all over the African continent and other
developing countries to write on the above-mentioned topics from either a
research or an activism perspective.
Abstracts and contributions must be written in English language and a
style accessible to a wide audience. Please submit abstracts to guest editor
Kristin Palitza,
kristin@iburst.co.za.
All abstract submissions must:
Specify the specific key area you would like to write on;
Count 200-300
words;
Include contact details: your name, institution/organisation,
telephone, email and the country in which you reside/country of origin.
Deadline: Please submit no later than 6 August 2008.
Please feel free to forward this to anyone that may be interested.
