STEP - Science and Technology in the European Periphery

Commission on "Women in Science, Technology, and Medicine"
Division of History of Science and Technology
of the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science (DHST/IUHPS)

International Symposium
Women and Gender Studies - Where Do We Stand?

September 14-17 2011

Call for Papers

First circular

Venue:
Ecole Normale Supérieure
45 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France

Introduction

Research on women in science has long been viewed as interchangeable
with studies on gender and science, while covering a wide range of
disciplinary fields such as natural, medical, and engineering
sciences, as well as social and human sciences. The aim of this
biennial Symposium is to compare the different methodological,
historiographical, as well as sociopolitical perspectives that have
been developed so far; to unravel creative tensions among the
different perspectives; and to suggest innovative ways for better
understanding science, technology, and medicine through the gender
perspective.

During the symposium we expect that historians of science, technology,
and medicine on the one hand, and scholars of gender in science and
technology studies scholars will exchange ideas on key issues related
to gender and women in science and technology. In addition, a special
session will be dedicated to the legacy of Mme Curie for women in
science per the declaration of 2011 as the International Year of
Chemistry (IYC-2011) in honor of the 100th anniversary of Mme Curie?s
2nd Nobel Prize in chemistry (1911).

More specifically we wish to focus on the following topics:

Theme 1 ?Methodological, epistemological and historiographical issues
in women and gender science studies (including micro-history, cultural
history, and social history)

The focus here is on the different methods and historiographical
approaches that have been used in research on ?women in science?
versus research on ?gender and science?. For example, what makes
gender issues and women issues different in history of science? What
methodologies could be transferred from history of science to gender
studies? What methodologies could be transferred from gender studies
to history of science? For example, this issue was raised as an
emerging and divisive dichotomy by Women, Gender, and Science,
(Osiris 12, 1997), while Creative Couples in the Sciences (Rutgers
University Press, 1996) addressed such issues as methodologically
complementary, rather than signaling an emerging divide between
historians and other practitioners of science studies. We now seek to
reassess where we stand now and how recent works, often collective,
(e.g. Gender and Genres: Lives of Women, 1700-2000, Bologna, 2011)
have advanced this argument. To sum up, we wish to reassess what
science studies on women and gender have contributed to the history of
science and what new issues have emerged in the last decade or so.
Have women and gender science studies transformed the history of
science? Does the history of science infuse gender studies with much
needed lessons from the past? How do we best incorporate the
development of a new understanding of science and technology with
newer visions of gender as closely interrelated areas of activity?

Theme 2 - The changing concept of gender in science and technology studies

We also wish to explore new nuances and new applications of the
concept of gender in studies of science, technology, and medicine as
in Never Mind the Gap! Gendering Science in Transgressive Encounters
(Uppsala, 2010) or Gendered Innovations in Science and Engineering
(Stanford 2008). In France, the topic has been explored in Sexe et
genre. De la hiérarchie entre les sexes (1991, reed. 2002) or Le sexe
des sciences. Les Femmes en plus (1993). How do we understand,
construct and/or reconstruct femininity and masculinity through our
studies of science and technology? We thus welcome papers that
reconceptualize the concept of gender, taking into account our recent
knowledge from studies on the fe/male body in culture and medicine, as
well as studies of gender in/of technology. (e.g. Special Issue of the
Journal of Technology Management & Innovation on ?The Gender Dimension
in Technology?, vol. 5 (1) 2010)

Theme 3 ? The role of new sources

As scholars of women in science have demonstrated, traditional
histories of science with their focus on sources such as university
archives, laboratory records, and professional accounts of science
made women invisible in the history of the sciences. Here we wish to
emphasize the importance of new, previously under-utilized or
innovative sources in making women visible.. Such sources may include
both public records such as archives of women?s organizations and
colleges, and private ones, such as diaries, oral histories, and
auto/biographies.

Theme 4 - Interdisciplinary approaches on women scientists and gender
studies respectively.
We also wish to encourage research on women and gender in science
using an interdisciplinary approach. The Symposium will provide
opportunities to exchange different experiences and contemplate
diverse forms of collaborative work.

Theme 5 ? The legacy of Mme Curie at the Centennial of her (2nd) Nobel
Prize: Women?s contributions to radiochemistry, nuclear chemistry, and
cancer therapy.

This theme is part of ICY-2011, the International year of Chemistry
declared in honor of the Centennial of Mme Curie?s Nobel Prize in
Chemistry.

Call for papers

The Programme Committee welcomes proposals for individual papers or
sessions from historians, science and technology studies scholars,
women?s and gender studies researchers. We encourage especially the
submission of papers by graduate students and independent scholars.
Each participant is allowed to submit only one paper. The committee
will consider the submitted proposals and respond by the end of May.

Proposals for individual papers must include:

- A one-page summary (maximum 250 words) outlining both the content
and the argument of the proposed paper;
- A short CV, including current postal and e-mail addresses.

All proposals should be sent via the email to
paris.symposium2011@gmail.com until May 15, 2011. All information is
also available on the website: http://dhst-women.ntua.gr.

Travel grants

The Commission on "Women in science" of the IUHPS/DHST could support
some participants with a travel grant of up to 250 ? each to PhD
students or early career researchers (who will be within three years
of completing their PhD?s at the date of the conference) who are
attending and presenting papers. Those who wish to apply for a travel
grant should send to Annette Vogt, President of the Commission
(vogt@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de) :
- A one-page summary (maximum 250 words) of the proposed paper;
- a brief CV;
- a short letter of recommendation.
The closing date for applications will be May 15, 2011.

Programme Committee

Pnina Abir-Am (Brandeis University, USA)
Dominique Fougeyrollas (CNRS-IRISSO, Université Paris Dauphine)
Anne-Sophie Godfroy (University of Paris-Est-Créteil and Ecole Normale
Supérieure de Cachan)
Annette Lykknes (Trondheim Norwegian University of Science and Technology)
Maria Rentetzi (National Technical University of Athens)
Annette Vogt (Max Planck Institute, Berlin)

The Place

The Ecole Normale Supérieure is located in the Latin Quarter in Paris.
The ENS is at once a grande école, due to its selective recruitment
process, and a research university. As a central actor in the training
of French elites for more than two centuries, it has nourished the
majority of the great intellectual movements of the 20th century and
has considerably widened the scope of French scientific influence. The
impressive achievements made possible through the training it
dispenses, distinguish the École normale supérieure from all other
French establishments of higher learning. Former students include all
eight French winners of the Fields Medal, twelve Nobel Prize winners
and half of the recipients the CNRS Gold Medal. The success of ENS
alumni results from the quality of its research-based training, which
includes individual tutorials and personalized attention for the full
four years of study. This ?training-by-research? model is the hallmark
of the École normale supérieure. It is the best preparation for
innovation and creativity. (More on the ENS website www.ens.fr)

The Venue

The Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris hosts the conference. There is
one seminar room. Beamers and computers will be available.
The building is located 45 rue d?Ulm, 75005 Paris; Métro/RER station:
Luxembourg, Bus station ?Feuillantines? (bus n°21 and 27).

Dates: 14-17 september 2011

Invited papers
Information on the invited papers will be given in the next circular.

Language
English will be the language of the symposium. No interpretation will
be provided.

Fee for the International symposium
No fees.

Meals
The costs of the meals are not included. Participants can use the
Ecole Normale cafeteria (in the venue) and choose their meal
themselves (prices range from 5 to 10?) or have lunch and dinner in
small restaurants around the venue (many restaurants are located in
the nearby Rue Mouffetard ? Price range from 10 to 20?).

Accommodation
Paris offers a number of hotels at different price categories. It is
possible to find single rooms for less than 100 ?. Actual prices range
from 59? to 200? depending on the number of stars and level of
comfort. It is advisable to book as soon as possible as moderate-price
hotels are often overbooked and Paris is a very touristic place.

Hotels:

Hotel des Grandes Ecoles (***)
75, rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 75005 Paris ? Tel: +33 1 43 26 79 23
http://www.hotel-grandes-ecoles.com
Close to the Ecole Normale (5 minutes), metro Cardinal-Lemoine. Very
nice garden, book very early to get a chance to have a room.

Hotel des 3 Colleges (***)
16 Rue Cujas, 75005 Paris (Place de la Sorbonne is round the corner).
Tel: +33 1 43 54 67 30
resa@hotel3colleges.fr, www.hotel3colleges.fr
Very close to RER Luxembourg, direct train to the Airports and to the
Gare du Nord, 5-10 min by foot to the venue. Direct public buses n°21
and n°27 to the venue.

Solar Hotel (**)
22 rue Boulard, 75014 Paris. Tel: +33 1 43 21 08 20
contact@solarhotel.fr, www.solarhotel.fr
Modern low-cost ecological hotel close to the Rue Daguerre and
Denfert-Rochereau station. Very cheap for Paris, the small garden is
very pleasant. 5-10 minutes from Luxembourg Station, then 5 minutes by
foot to the venue, other option, 5 minutes by bike as free bicycles
are provided for guests. Direct train to the Airports and to the Gare
du Nord. 59? for double and single rooms including breakfast and wi-fi
connection.

Hotel André Latin (***)
50 rue Gay-Lussac, 75005 Paris. Tel: +33 1 43 54 76 60
reservation@hotel-andrelatin.com, www.andre-latin-paris-hotel.com
Very close to the venue, rates are usually expansive, but there are
sometimes good bargains on the website with online booking.

Deadlines

Scholars who want to present a 20 minutes paper at the conference are
invited to submit by email a one-page abstract plus one-page CV before
May 15, 2011.
The members of the International Programme Committee will referee all
the abstracts, and authors will be informed about acceptance or
rejection before June 15, 2011.

Deadline for registration: July 31, 2011