Date: Monday, January 27, 2025, from 12:15-1:45pm

Location: Calder Lounge (Uris Hall 107)

Series: Patriarchal Violence

Speakers: Giovanna Parmigiani (Harvard Divinity)

Respondent: Eleanor Johnson (Columbia University)

In this talk, based on extensive ethnographic research in Italy, Dr. Parmigiani will focus on representations of women and gender-based violence in contemporary Italy. She will describe and analyze the politics of representation enacted by the Italian feminists of UDI (Unione delle Donne in Italia), the oldest Italian feminist group, in the context of the pervasive representations of women as victims portrayed by the Italian media, Catholic pro-life movements, and hegemonic patriarchal discourses. By analyzing UDI's motto “'We are witnesses, not victims," she will address the strengths and weaknesses of the "ethos of survivorship" and suggest other possible empowering ways to reframe discourses and representations around women and violence, in Italy and elsewhere.

Free and open to the public

Registration is required — Please register in advance to reserve your spot

Important Instructions: Due to current campus access levels, all outside guests must register in advance to access Columbia's Morningside campus where the event will be held. If you do not have a Columbia University ID, please be sure to pre-register by Friday, January 24th at 3pm. Requests submitted after that time unfortunately cannot be processed in time. Thank you for your assistance with the current guest registration instructions.

Columbia University makes every effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities. If you require disability accommodations to attend an event at Columbia University, please contact Disability Services (disability@columbia.edu or 212-854-2388) at least 10 days in advance of the event. Requests for CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) or sign language interpretation require two weeks' notice.