Organizers: International Standing Working Group on Medialization and Empowerment

Curator: Maya Caspari (GHIL)

Coordinator: Jane Freeland (GHIL)

Venue: Online

Visit the exhibition here: www.feminismandthemedia.co.uk

The exhibition Forms, Voices, Networks explores the intersections between the growth of mass media and women’s rights movements in a transnational context during the 20th century. Centred on the histories of feminisms and the media in Britain, Germany and India, it draws attention to little-known or unheard voices and stories and draws connections between activists and the media across time and space. Through a series of snapshot examples, it illustrates how feminists have mobilized and negotiated media to advance women’s rights and contest gender stereotypes at different moments. It also attends to the ambivalence, changeable and potentially contradictory nature of women’s relation to the media across different time periods and contexts.

Built around the themes of recognition, redefinition, remapping, reclamation and regeneration, the exhibition offers a glimpse into different moments and different places of feminism. Some of these stories fit together neatly; others do not. Like a mosaic, patterns across the three countries are discernible, but so are gaps and breaks.  In doing so, the exhibition does not seek to suggest equivalences between the histories of these very different contexts. Instead, it encourages visitors to search for resonances and connections, as well as tensions and differences.

The exhibition will be launched at three online events between November 2021 and January 2022.

The first event The Politics of Photography: Feminist Activisms in India and Britain explores the use of photography as a tool of feminist protest and mobilization. Featuring artist/activists Sheba Chhachhi and Mary Ann Kennedy, and discussant Na’ama Klorman-Eraqi, the discussion will be held on 23 November at 1pm GMT. 

The second event The Struggle for Recognition: Feminism and the Media in Germany, Britain and India in the 20^th Century examines how feminists have used the media to fight for recognition, whether as citizens or as women facing diverse issues. The event will include reflections from Tiffany Florvil (New Mexico), Ingrid Sharp (Leeds) and D-M Withers (Reading). It will be held on 15 December at 5:30pm GMT. [Read more and register for this event here]

The final launch event Women on the Air Waves: Feminism and the Radio in Britain and Germany looks at how women have used the radio to draw attention to issues of gender injustice. It will take place as a part of the conference The History of Medialization and Empowerment: The Intersection of Women’s Rights Activism and the Media, and will be held on 20 January at 5:30pm GMT.

This exhibition was developed by the International Standing Working Group on Medialization and Empowerment, which is part of the major research project “Knowledge Unbound: Internationalisation, Networking, Innovation in and by the Max Weber Stiftung.” It is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. At the GHIL, the curator is Maya Caspari and the coordinator is Jane Freeland.