Gender Matters?, hosted by Jindal Global University is a series of events over the course of 6 weeks which will interrogate the ways in which gender becomes an organizing principle in our lives, how it manifests as both a space of repression as well as liberation, how it intersects with and informs other identities that we carry with us. This first edition of Gender Matters? taking its lead from the Supreme Court’s recent landmark Right to Privacy judgment will be focusing on the notion of Privacy as it intersects with sexuality and sexual autonomy. Through a series of talks, panel discussions and cultural events, this thematic focus on privacy will run alongside events that attempt to interrogate gender at a multiple registers.
It is in this context that we are pleased to announce and invite applications for the following competitions and events. To register for any of the three events, please fill up this google form: https://goo.gl/forms/0Zl7wWBr0KCr7YhW2 latest by 22nd October 2017.
I. ESSAY COMPETITION
The Organizing Committee of Gender Matters? invites applications for an essay competition on the theme of Privacy and Sexuality. Participants are encouraged to utilize their creativity in the best possible manner surrounding the said theme. We have deliberately chosen a theme that can be construed in an abstract, open-ended fashion to facilitate maximum creativity while writing these essays.
A few guidelines for the competition are as follows:
- This essay is open to ONLY students.
- Your work should be completely original. Any plagiarism of work will lead to a direct disqualification.
- You are required to send in your submissions latest by the 25th of October, 2017 by 11:59 p.m. tojgugendermatters@gmail.com.
- Word limit: 1000-2000 (only indicative)
- Your submissions must have the e-mail subject as “Essay submission” only.
- We shall announce the top 3 essays before the 30th of October.
- Exciting prizes await the top 3 essays, including opportunities with our partner Feminism In India, the acclaimed digital platform.
- Selected essays may also be published by our content and blog partners (Feminism in India and Ed Youth Blog).
- You will be judged on the following factors: style of writing, creativity of topic, precision of writing and flow of the essay.
II. PAINTING COMPETITION
The Organizing Committee of Gender Matters? is also pleased to announce an Art Competition on the theme “Intimacies of queer sexuality”.
- The following are the guidelines for the competition:-
- This competition is open to both students and faculty members, without any limitation.
- The competition will take place in the O.P Jindal Global University Campus on the 28th of October, 2017.
- Candidates will be expected to take care of their own transport for the competition.
- Exciting prizes await the shortlisted 3 paintings.
- The artwork may be published or exhibited on our social media and on our partner platforms.
- Participants may paint on any choice of canvas (chart paper, cloth, cardboard) and must be arranged on their own.
- Participants will get a free access to the wide range of GM? events throughout the JGU campus on 28th and 29th of October.
III. KNOWLEDGE CAFE
If you’ve had that very particular kind of academic itch – the kind where you want to have a sound, intellectual conversation with your peers in place of small talk – knowledge café hosted by the organizing committee of ‘Gender Matters?’ is where you should be, where you won’t just converse, but have constructive dialogue. In that endeavour, we invite 1000-word abstracts from those interested, describing what they would like to present as a topic of discussion.
Guidelines:
- Applicants can be ONLY students.
- Abstracts will have to be submitted to jgugendermatters@gmail.com by 11:59 PM, on the 25th October 2017.
- The email must have the subject “Knowledge Café Abstract” only.
- We would require that these topics be related to questions of privacy intersecting with gender and sexuality, that is grounded in research.
- The shortlisted entries will be intimated before 27th October 2017.
- Participants will get free access to the various GM? Events throughout the JGU campus on 28th and 29thOctober.
Our knowledge café will gather far outside classrooms and lecture halls for we believe that academic discourse must occupy space in informal areas too. We encourage you to bring your ideas, no matter how counterintuitive or obvious they may seem to you, for no idea suffers from perspective. We hope that this different kind of academic discussion, outside the structure of a power point presentation or reading, will draw out engaging and heated confabulation!
For more details follow us on our Facebook page to stay updated, or write to us at gendermatters5@gmail.com if you have any queries. Additionally, If you would like to attend any other event scheduled by Gender Matters? get in touch with the Organising Committee through the Facebook page or via email!