[csaa-forum] Seminars on the Transnational at UNSW: "When Activism Travels: The Political Appropriation and Effacement of Local Gender Rights Activism by Transnational", Saffaa and Dr Lisa Wynn, Mon 17th Oct, 5pm

Laetitia Nanquette l.nanquette at unsw.edu.au
Tue Oct 4 18:44:02 ACST 2016


Seminars on the Transnational at UNSW: "When Activism Travels: The Political Appropriation and Effacement of Local Gender Rights Activism by Transnational", Saffaa and Dr Lisa Wynn, Mon 17th Oct, 5 - 6.30 pm
UNSW, Robert Webster Building, Room 327

In 2012, Sydney-based Saudi artist Saffaa produced a series of works entitled, “I Am My Own Guardian” (ana waliyyat amri). It featured an image of a woman wearing the Saudi traditional male headdress and the phrase “I Am My Own Guardian,” drawing attention to the male guardianship system that requires all Saudi women to have a male guardian. A street artist, Saffaa produced stickers and paste-ups; Saudi friends posted these all over the streets of Jeddah and Riyadh and Bahrain, and she shared her campaign of her cultural activism through her Twitter and Instagram accounts. After some menace from a conservative Saudi man, her work was supported by Saudi men and women and soon #IAmMyOwnGuardian was trending. Shortly after, a U.S.-based man used the image to demonise the Saudi state. He didn’t credit the original artist. From being a story about progressive Saudi women and men who wanted to see legal and social change, his intervention transformed this into a story about oppressive Saudi traditions and a “white man saving brown women from brown men”.
The dynamic is a recurring one. As activism travels transnationally, the work of activists is effaced and appropriated to Western political projects and civilizational discourses. Saffaa and Lisa will discuss several activist campaigns, review their representation in the international media, and propose a set of guidelines for how the transnational allies of activists can promote their work without erasing the struggles and voices of local activists.
All are very welcome to the seminar. There is no need to register. For enquiries: l.nanquette at unsw.edu.au<mailto:l.nanquette at unsw.edu.au>

Robert Webster Building is located mid-way off the UNSW main walkway. Map Reference G14. Room 327 is located on the third floor.

Dr Laetitia Nanquette,
Lecturer and Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow,
School of Arts and Media,
University of New South Wales, Sydney
+61 (2) 9385 7792

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