University of Cambridge Centre for Gender Studies

We're thrilled to be joined by Prof Mary E. John during her visit in Cambridge for a talk "Modernity, Decoloniality, Violence: Toward a Feminist Dialogue Across the South". Come meet and greet at 5pm Wed 13 May, followed by the talk, then further dialogue and conversation! ARB S1 (and just outside).

We're looking forward to welcoming Dr Shan-Jan Sarah Liu from the University of Edinburgh to hear about her research into Women in the National Defense in Taiwan, Thurs 14 May at 12:30, ARB SG1, all welcome!

Matt Kenny is joining us on Tuesday 28 May to talk about his experiences in competitive hockey as a gay man and how to change cultures of homophobia and misogyny in competitive sports. Everyone is welcome, 5:30 in ARB S1!

"Staging Black Masculinities: Space, Stereotype and the Politics of Representation in the work of Chris Ofili and Faisal Abdu Allah" will be presented by Dr Elizebeth Robles, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Art at the University of Bristol in our Multi-disciplinary Gender Research Seminar, online only, Monday 9 March at 12:30-- sign up at the link!

Staging Black Masculinities Staging Black Masculinities: Space, Stereotype and the Politics of Representation in the work of Chris Ofili and Faisal Abdu Allah

Professor Gloria Wekker is our Diane Middlebrook and Carl Djerassi Visiting Professor, in residence at UCCGS this month. She is a prominent Black diaspora feminist whose landmark works include The Politics of Passion and White Innocence. Her public talk is open to all, and will take place on Wed 11 March at 5:30pm at Christ's College, Cambridge, with drinks to follow. Join us for her talk "Still Crazy After All Those Years: Revisiting Intersectionality."

Join us online on Monday 12:30 for

Staging Black Masculinities: Space, Stereotype and the Politics of Representation in the work of Chris Ofili and Faisal Abdu Allah

*Please note that this seminar will be held via Zoom. Please register your place in advance. Registration will close at 09.00 on Monday 9 March 2026.
Multi-disciplinary Gender Research Seminars continue on Monday 9 March 12:30-1:30 with Dr Elizabeth Robles, "Staging Black Masculinities: Space, Stereotype and the Politics of Representation in the work of Chris Ofili and Faisal Abdu Allah"

Online only, register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/staging-black-masculinities-tickets-1982179487205

Dr Elizabeth Robles (University of Bristol) is a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Art at the University of Bristol. She recently ended her term as the Director of the Centre of Black Humanities and is the programme director for the MA in English with Black Humanities and History with Black Humanities. Her research is focused on the histories of Black and Brown artists in British Art History, with a particular focus on the period from 1960-the early 1990s.

Her paper will consider how Faisal Abdu’Allah’s I Wanna Kill Uncle Sam… (1993) and Chris Ofili’s Double Captain S**t and the Legend of the Black Stars (1997) engage Black Atlantic cultural forms to interrogate 1990s discourses around fixed forms of black masculinity and diasporic identities.

Staging Black Masculinities Staging Black Masculinities: Space, Stereotype and the Politics of Representation in the work of Chris Ofili and Faisal Abdu Allah

Join us in person on Monday 2 March, at 12:30 for Prof Peter Dunne's talk "Gender Beyond the Binary in Europe" in our Multi-disciplinary Gender Research Seminar. All welcome in ARB S1!

Multi-disciplinary Gender Research Seminars continue this Lent term: On Monday 23 Feb 12:30 Laura Jane Bower speaks on the 'victim-survivor' label for people who have experienced sexual violence. ARB S1 in person or sign up for online:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exploring-the-meaning-behind-identity-labels-for-victim-survivors-tickets-1980088560186