What is the Feminist Scholars Digital Workshop & How Does it Work?
Founded in 2013, the Feminist Scholars Digital Workshop is a biannual, online, interdisciplinary workshop for individuals working on feminist-oriented research projects. The workshop is sponsored by HASTAC and James Madison University’s School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication.
Throughout the workshop, participants create and set in motion their own agendas. There is no program for the workshop and there are no presentations. Participants collaborate in small groups to exchange research projects (e.g., articles, webtexts, syllabi, proposals) for feedback and peer review. Small groups are designed to be interdisciplinary and to encourage feminist mentorship by bringing together scholars with varying levels of experience and expertise.
To accommodate diverse schedules and time zones, all peer review activities take place asynchronously, with the exception of keynote talks and online meetings that individual peer review groups elect to set up.
The workshop is designed to:
- Encourage intra- and interdisciplinary research and collaboration
- Discuss feminist research strategies, methodologies/methods, feminist pedagogy
- Promote collaborative learning and professional development
- Foster feminist mentorship across disciplines and professional orientations
- Create a supportive space for feminist scholars to interact and network
FSDW Needs Your Help!
FSDW is in need of volunteers who are interested in helping support and promote the workshop. Volunteers will gain valuable administrative and leadership experience, form connections with individuals from around the globe, help support feminist research, and promote the collaborative, interdisciplinary values of HASTAC.
Volunteers should have an interest in feminist scholarship, teaching, and/or activism. The following positions are available for undergraduate and graduate students, educators, professionals, and non-academics from a range of disciplines:
Social Media Correspondent (3-4 positions. Selected individuals will work with Abigail Scheg, Director of Social Media)
- Promote workshop on HASTAC, listservs, and social media
- Share workshop-related updates and materials online
- Create and promote conversation topics for FSDW Slack group
- Primary Qualifications: Familiarity with social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter); willingness to work closely with fellow Social Media Correspondents to promote workshop and encourage participant collaboration
Technical Assistant (2 positions)
- Generate content that helps workshop participants navigate the FSDW Slack group
- Answer participants’ questions and troubleshoot technical problems with Slack platform
- Primary Qualifications: Familiarity with Slack or similar social messaging/online content management platforms; ability to respond to technical questions/issues promptly and professionally
Assistant Group Leader Coordinator (1 position. Selected individual will work with Katie Manthey, Group Leader Coordinator)
- Coordinate workshop activities with Group Leaders
- Assist Group Leaders with organizing peer review activities
- Primary Qualifications: Ability to respond quickly and professionally to online communications
Please note that you do not need previous experience in any of the above areas (with the exception of the Technical Assistant position) to volunteer. The most important thing is that you are willing to experiment and learn. All work takes place online. Each position requires roughly 15-20 hours of volunteer time.
To apply for a position, please complete this Google form. If you have questions, email FSDW’s Director, Lori Beth De Hertogh, at feministscholarsworkshop@gmail.com.
Please submit your application no later than Monday, February 13th. We look forward to hearing from you!