Crossroads. Debating Women's Rights, Racism and Religion
Crossroads konferansen ble arrangert i Oslo 30.5-1.6.2005.
A principal aim of the conference is to initiate dialogue between minority and majority feminist researchers as well as activists and policy-makers. We want to address the complexities surrounding contested issues such as “white” and “black”, “majority” and “minority”, human rights and freedom of religious beliefs from a feminist perspective.
The “white” women’s movement has been criticized for not taking seriously the situation of “black” women or women with immigrant background. “White” feminists have been criticized for speaking on behalf of “black” feminists. These debates have been intense and in some instances irreconcilable. The intention of this conference is to open up a forum for discussion on these issues, conflicts and controversies. For example, what is “anti-racist feminism”? How can solidarity politics be expressed? What is the political status of women’s human rights?
Questions around women’s citizenship address all societal areas. There are strong conflicts between traditional religious systems that are based on gender-specific rights and obligations, and secular democratic ideals. The relations between religion and gender equality is a well-known “multicultural headache”. Religious freedom and women’s human rights are burning issues in all societies and affect current discourses in feminism.