Executive Summary

Summary

The Project is aimed at designing and piloting some key aspects of an interdisciplinary and innovative module called Feminist Dissent: Theory, Practice, Resistance. The project draws its inspiration from the journal Feminist Dissent that is based at Warwick and of which both Rashmi and Roxanne are editorial collective members. The module is envisaged as a direct intervention into and contribution towards our understanding of two key issues of our time--a worldwide proliferation of fundamentalist religious movements and the global rise of conservative and racist populist movements in the context of the ongoing crises of capitalism and resources.

Modelled on the idea of a public pedagogy, learners will have the opportunity to be taught by an international collective of feminist activists, academics, artists and writers. The project will launch two pilot seminars that will be broadcast live to a global audience, who will participate by sending in their questions for discussion. This will be followed up with a Workshop involving Focus Groups with Warwick students to help us gain feedback on the pilot seminars and provide test cases for assignments that will be innovative and relevant to the proposed module.

Anticipated Outcomes

We initially plan to develop the module as a one-term course, but it is one that could easily be expanded to cover the whole year.

During the fellowship we would like to pilot one such seminar each term to test the viability of the format. We will hold it live on a suitable platform and open it up to a global audience, who can also send in their questions and comments for discussion. This will provide an opportunity for our students to not just learn from the seminar leader and from those within their classroom, but from a global community. Each seminar leader will assign readings for the week. The role of the module co-ordinators will be to publicise, recruit, introduce and co-ordinate all aspects of these pilot seminars. Website for the project, with an associated blog. We will share reading lists, filmography, provide links to events, and blog on relevant contemporary topics. This website will become an integral part of the Feminist Dissent module.

We hope to create a viable model for interdisciplinary public pedagogy at Warwick, opening up the classroom to global audiences, and producing a live classroom.