Postgraduate Gender Research Network of Scotland Launches

The Global Justice Academy is delighted to support the launch on the Postgraduate Gender Research Network of Scotland (PGRNS). This guest post by co-organiser, Rhian Sutton, reflects on the launch event which took place in October, and plans for the Network over the coming months – including how you can get involved. Rhian is reading for a PhD in History at the University of Edinburgh.

The Postgraduate Gender Research Network of Scotland (PGRNS) was formed in August, 2016. PGRNS aims to provide a platform on which postgraduates engaged in researching gender across Scotland can share their work, advertise events, workshops, and conferences, as well as learn about calls for papers and funding opportunities. Our goal is to facilitate discussion among researchers with common interests across both universities and disciplines in order to allow students to engage with people and ideas that they would not usually encounter through the course of their study.  Ultimately, the network hopes to assist postgraduate students in enriching their research through the discovery of, and engagement with, new perspectives of gender research.

We are grateful to Edinburgh Napier University for both funding and hosting our official launch, which took place on 21^st October 2016. It was an evening of food, wine, and great chat about gender research currently being undertaken by postgraduates across Scotland.  Postgraduates representing research interests in law, sociology, literature, history, divinity, business, and more came from Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, Glasgow School of Arts, the University of St. Andrews, and the University of Strathclyde. Some of the topics discussed were Feminist approaches to studying translated texts, the position of stateless people in Taiwan, gender and seals in Medieval Scotland, and issues of youth and transgender relationships.

The organising committee gave a short presentation of its plans for the year ahead. The committee is made up of Rachel Davis and Rian Sutton from the University of Edinburgh, Lois Burke from Edinburgh Napier University, Ashley Patton from the Open University, and Alison McNaughton from the University of Glasgow.

PGRNS hopes to host an interdisciplinary work-in-progress workshop at the Glasgow Women’s Library in March, 2017 at which postgraduates will have the opportunity to discuss conference papers and draft chapters with fellow students and academics from a variety of research backgrounds. The aim is to provide postgraduates with fresh perspectives and innovative ways of approach their research. PGRNS is currently in the process of seeking funding for this event from the SGSAH. Following on from this, PGRNS hopes to host a postgraduate conference focused on ‘Gender Research Across Disciplines’ at the University of Edinburgh in May 2017. The hope is that those who attended the workshop, along with other postgraduates, will participate in the conference and share how their research has progressed over the course of the semester.

Feedback for the proposed workshop and conference was enthusiastic. Participants suggested that the Network should also focus on fostering an ongoing conversation through both social media platforms and other in-person events. PGRNS is happy to help promote any gender-focused event suggested by Network members and other postgraduates.

How to get involved:

PGRNS welcomes all postgraduates interested in gender research, even if it is not the primary focus of their own work.

If you would you like to join PGRNS, be added to our mailing list or Facebook group, or contact us about an event you would like us to promote, please email us at PGRNScot@gmail.com.

Additionally you can follow us on Twitter @PGRNScotland.