Lectures, films planned for Women’s Studies celebration

In observance of National Women’s History Month, University of Houston-Clear Lake will host its annual Women’s Studies Week March 3-11 with a series of events designed to celebrate women and their roles in society.

“We’re excited about our lineup of events to celebrate Women’s Studies Week and Women’s History Month,” says Associate Professor of Anthropology and Women’s Studies program convener Christine Kovic. “The events will allow students and community members to discuss issues central to women’s lives and gender relations including immigration, health care and parenting, both in the United States and beyond.”

The weeklong schedule of activities includes the following:

• Monday, March 3 – University of Houston Assistant Professor of Social Work Research and Licensed Master Social Worker Brené Brown will present the keynote address titled “Women and Shame.” The presentation will explore gender and shame and Brown will draw from the research she gathered while writing her book “I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power.” The event will begin at 7 p.m. and will be held in the university’s Bayou Building Garden Room. A reception and book signing as well as the opening of a Women’s Studies Exhibit will be held following the presentation. 

• Tuesday, March 4 – Houston immigration activist Maria Jimenez will present “Immigration and Families.” Jimenez works with diverse immigrant groups in Houston and will discuss how families are organizing to change migration policy. The event is co-sponsored by the Office of Intercultural and International Student Services and will be held at 2:15 p.m. in room B1408 of the Bayou Building.

• Tuesday, March 4 – The Indian film “Ankur” will be presented in room B2231 of the university’s Bayou Building. Following the film, UH-Clear Lake Associate Professor of Anthropology Deepa Reddy will speak about themes present in the movie. The event will begin at 4 p.m.

• Wednesday, March 5 – “HIV/AIDS: A Cry of Desperation, Are We Listening?” will be presented by Baylor College of Medicine Dr. Ayse Coskun. This lecture will be presented at 7 p.m. in the Bayou Building. A room number will be designated at a later date.

• Friday, March 7 – In partnership with the Office of Student Life Film and Speaker Series, the Women’s Studies Program will present the film “Antonia’s Line” at 7 p.m. in the university’s Student Services and Classroom Building. UH-Clear Lake Assistant Professor of History Barbara Hales and adjunct faculty member Elizabeth Klett will lead a discussion about the film’s themes following the screening.

• Tuesday, March 11 – An enlightening panel discussion about “Diverse Families” will be moderated by UH-Clear Lake Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies and Psychology Kim Case and Humanities Lecturer Shreerekha Subramanian at 1 p.m. in the Bayou Building Garden Room.

• Tuesday, March 11 – UH-Clear Lake Associate Professor of Psychology Sharon Hall will present “Parenting for Social Justice” in the Bayou Building Garden Room at 2:30 p.m. The talk will draw from material in her forthcoming book “Raising Kids in the 21st Century.”

Throughout March 3-10, a special exhibit focuses on the history of Women’s Studies at UH-Clear Lake and on women’s organizations in Latin America and the United States. The university’s Alfred R. Neumann Library will also offer an exhibit on women titled “Fabulous Females Define History,” with a focus on women in the fields of education, health, business and politics. The display, which will be up throughout the whole month, will include books and DVDs as well as other material.  Admission to all events is free.

For more information about Women’s Studies Week, e-mail program convener Christine Kovic, kovic@uhcl.edu, or call 281-283-3365. To find out more about the Women’s Studies Program, visit http://hsh.uhcl.edu/WS.