Call for Papers

Since the emergence of universities, women have been involved in networks of higher education. ‘Women and Worlds of Learning’ aims to explore the different experiences of women in intellectual spheres and how these roles have developed over time. Despite the institutionalisation of higher education and the creation of a masculine environment in the Middle Ages, women continued to be involved in intellectual communities, whether as informal students and teachers, patrons and family members, or employees. As women gained greater access to universities and specifically gendered opportunities were presented for female students, such as teaching colleges, there continued to be challenges and limitations within and outside these positions. Women had complicated and multifaceted connections within these intellectual networks, whether as students and teachers entering a male-dominated career path, or as employees or local women who worked to support these spaces.

 

We are holding this conference to commemorate the women whose complex relationships with higher education have shaped the experience of female scholars today and to acknowledge there is still work to be done. This call for papers is also a call for action: women continue to face challenges in the patriarchal structures of the intellectual sphere. This needs to change. These challenges are even greater for trans and gender nonconforming people, as well as Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) scholars. We come together to discuss the future of academia. The conference will present the opportunity to reflect on the experiences of our predecessors to help us move forward and create a fully accessible community.

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The interdisciplinary nature of the conference will allow us to approach the past and present of women in further and higher education through different disciplinary perspectives, including history, history of art, English, education, sociology, philosophy and politics. We also encourage research into other forms of higher education outside of university study, including teaching colleges and polytechnics, as well as different types of roles undertaken by women within these networks, including employees, benefactors, students and teachers. To consider changes over time and where this has led us today, we welcome papers from all time periods. 

 

Topics may include (but are not limited to):

• Types of female engagement with higher education (as students, teachers, researchers, employees, patrons)

• Female spaces and opportunities in education

• Feminist approaches and analysis within higher education

• Trans, gender nonconforming and BIPOC experiences in academia

• Women within intellectual networks/communities outside of universities

• The roles of women in relation to different academic disciplines

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We invite submissions for 20 minute papers or panels consisting of 3 papers (20 minutes each) around a common theme. To find other academics who may be interested in creating a panel, we have created a Twitter thread that can be accessed through the QR code. 

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We also welcome applications for our postgraduate session. Masters and doctoral students can submit a poster focused on their research. This is a fantastic opportunity to practise your communication skills, discussing your research, and presenting it in a creative outlet. 

250 word abstract for 20 minute paper or for poster competition to womenandworldsoflearning@gmail.com.
Application deadline (EXTENDED): 1st October 2023