Militarism, Masculinity and Men

In 2010 the WILPF AGM welcomed Cynthia Cockburn as keynote speaker. Cynthia is visiting professor in the Department of Sociology at City University London, a feminist writer and researcher working at the intersection of gender and peace studies, and a longstanding friend of WILPF.

Cynthia's talk highlighted the connections between militarism and masculinity. Most of us have a hunch that militarism is connected in some way to masculinity but to raise the matter seems to bring us perilously close to suggesting that, in matters of violence and war, women have clean hands. What can reasonably be thought and said about this difficult issue? Even more to the point, what can be done?

Read Cynthia's stimulating presentation here (pdf)

Making Nato More Visible

The Orpington branch of WILPF invited Cynthia Cockburn to speak at their well-attended Garden Party on Saturday 31st July about NATO.  Members felt that peace campaigners are not sufficiently aware of the developing role of NATO in international affairs.  Cynthia Cockburn, who is a wirter and visiting professor in the Department of Sociology at City University, is also an activist with Women in Black and WILPF and  brings a  feminist analysis to her presentation Making Nato More Visible.