The activism, advocacy and agency of the #MeToo era has exposed examples of sexual violence and harassment within an industry made possible by the patriarchal practices of its players. Inspired by this movement and its prevalence in academic research, we are two researchers from Cardiff University’s Journalism, Media and Culture department, working to provide a platform and opportunities for all those interrogating rape culture, both in and out of the academy. Rape culture is not new and our hope as a research network is to work towards understanding and challenging rape culture – keeping it at the forefront of public discourse and contributing to the resurgence and mainstreaming of a feminist agenda. Therefore, our key question we wish to address is: how can the work that we produce address the pervasiveness of rape culture in our society?
Our goals for the next year include the development of a website where researchers and practitioners can find opportunities for collaboration. We also aim to provide up to date information on related conferences and talks, as well as a roundup of relevant popular media objects. We will also be working on a 2020 conference, and providing a forum for academic publication. Alongside these efforts we provide a local monthly meeting where all those interested can come together and share their work, find support, and discuss various academic / non-academic texts (our current text is Sara Ahmed’s Living a Feminist Life). We’re happy to facilitate Skype-ins so just let us know if you’re interested! We will also be working with local groups and organisations on grassroots campaigns such as consent workshops, consciousness-raising circles and local Slutwalks.
Here’s a brief round-up of what we discussed last meeting, though it’s by no means comprehensive!
- The overlaps of data and art
- Inclusivity, codes of conduct
- Consent
- Call-out/ call-in culture
- Personal research impact
- Celebrity rape culture
- #MeToo anniversaries and legacy
The Rape Culture Research Network is dedicated to supporting both the theoretical and practical interrogations into rape culture and the ways in which it is embedded in both our systemic and social practices. Rape culture impacts all genders – therefore we are inclusive of all persons who strive for change. We would really love to hear from you so please feel free to get in touch via our Twitter (@RapeCultureRN) , FB, or by emailing rapecultureresearchnetwork@gmail.com. Our website is still in the works but you will be able to find it soon at: www.rapecultureresearchnetwork.com.
