Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, & Sexuality GCWS

From ancient religious scriptures to the lingering shadows of British colonialism, the way gender is "imagined" defines how nations are built. Join Drs. Jyoti Puri and Ayesha Irani this fall at MIT as we unpack the complex history of women, gender, and sexuality in South Asia.

We’re diving deep into:
- The Goddess Tradition: Empowerment vs. social reality.
- Colonial Legacies: How reformism reshaped South Asian womanhood.
- Modern Resistance: How subaltern voices are talking back to power.

📅 Wednesdays, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Meets at MIT
🎓 Taught by Dr. Jyoti Puri (BU) & Dr. Ayesha Irani (UMass Boston)

Apply NOW:

Women, Gender, and Sexuality in South Asia: Religion, Culture, and Colonial Legacies — GCWS The Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality at MIT Fall 2026; Wednesdays, 4-7PM Meets at MIT

Looking for a course that pushes you to think deeper?

🌟 Feminist and Q***r Theory
🗓 Mondays, 4-7pm
📍 MIT
👩‍🏫 Dr. Heike Schotten (UMass Boston)

Explore the thinkers and texts that define feminist, q***r, and trans* theory—while examining the real political issues they engage. This is a space to unpack big ideas, question assumptions, and connect theory to lived realities.

Challenging, thought-provoking, and deeply relevant. Join us this fall.

Apply early and receive a decision by May 1, 2026

Feminist and Q***r Theory — GCWS The Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality at MIT Fall 2026; Mondays, 4-7PM Meets at MIT

Looking for a course that challenges Western-centric views of gender? This fall, explore the rich, complex, and often resisted histories of Hijras, q***r, and trans subjects in South Asia.

This isn't just a history class. We use film, literature, and sociology to examine:
✨ Masculinity and concepts of "honor."
✨ Gender segregation and caste systems.
✨ The impact of state violence and nationalism on marginalized bodies.

Expand your perspective with experts from Boston University and UMass Boston.

🔗

Women, Gender, and Sexuality in South Asia: Religion, Culture, and Colonial Legacies — GCWS The Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality at MIT Fall 2026; Wednesdays, 4-7PM Meets at MIT

⏳Today is the last day to register for the inaugural GCWS Summer Feminist Learning Institute!

For the first time, MIT's GCWS is opening its micro-courses to the public welcoming scholars, activists, educators, artists, organizers, and nonprofit professionals from around the world.

Four live, small-cohort online courses. June 15–30. Built to help you move from theory to action.

Tuition assistance is available; don't let it be a barrier to enrollment.

Register today: https://www.gcws.mit.edu/sfli-home

Please share, someone in your network will benefit!

Elevate your academic journey this fall with our "Feminist and Q***r Theory" course taught by Dr. Heike Schotten (UMass Boston).

From defining entire fields to analyzing concrete political struggles, this course explores the complexity—and urgency—of feminist, q***r, and trans* thought. Expect rigorous reading, dynamic discussion, and ideas that stay with you long after class ends.

🗓 Mondays, 4-7pm
📍 MIT

Applications are now open! https://www.gcws.mit.edu/new-events/feminist-q***r-theory-fall2026?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

What counts as "evidence"? Who decides—and what gets left out? 📊🧐 In the upcoming Summer Feminist Learning Institute (SFLI) micro-course, What Counts as Evidence? (And Who Decides?), we’ll explore how common research and evaluation methods are deeply shaped by power and history. Led by Dr. Crossing, this highly interactive virtual course draws on Black Feminist Thought and critical traditions to challenge traditional metrics and elevate community knowledge. Participants will walk away with a practical framework or draft idea they can use to integrate equity and lived experiences directly into their own current or future projects.

🗓️ Dates: June 15, 18, 22, 25, and 29, 2026 (Virtual)
🔗 Register here: https://www.gcws.mit.edu/sfli-what-counts-as-evidence?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Help us shake up traditional research practices! Tag a researcher, data analyst, or community advocate in the comments below, or share this post to help spread the word! 📣🙌🏽

Sankofa reminds us that it is not taboo to return for what you have forgotten. Join us for a transformative journey that treats writing not just as expression, but as a practice of survival, self-preservation, and memory-keeping. Through a dedicated morning pages ritual and engagement with powerful thinkers like Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and Octavia E. Butler, you'll learn to move through creative discomfort with intention. Whether you are an artist, a journaler, or someone wanting to reconnect with your voice, this workshop offers a sacred space for your story.

🗓️ Dates: June 15, 18, 22, and 25, 2026
🔗 Secure your spot today: https://www.gcws.mit.edu/sfli-sankofa-as-sacred-writing-practice?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Know someone who needs this creative reset? Help us spread the word by sharing this post with your network or inviting a friend to sign up with you! 🙌🏽

How do religious commentaries, colonial laws, and modern films shape our understanding of South Asian women?

Join us on Wednesday afternoons at MIT for Women, Gender, and Sexuality in South Asia. This thematic course moves beyond the textbook to analyze the "symbols" of modernity and tradition. We’ll discuss everything from goddess traditions to contemporary resistance movements.

Featured Themes:
- Representations of women in religious texts.
- The impact of the caste system.
- Violence and resistance in contemporary times.

Spaces are limited for this cross-institutional collaboration! Apply NOW: https://www.gcws.mit.edu/new-events/fa26-wgs-south-asia?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Ever wonder how data can be used as a weapon against reproductive rights—and how movements can fight back? 🛡️💻 This micro-course exposes the data-driven tactics used by far-right organizations to roll back healthcare access, while offering feminist strategies to counter them. You’ll explore powerful concepts like "missing data" and "counterdata production" to critically assess the risks and opportunities of digital age activism. By the end of these sessions, you'll walk away knowing how to design a basic data activism strategy for your own community.

🗓️ Dates: June 15, 17, 22, 24, and 25, 2026
🔗 Don't wait—secure your spot today: https://www.gcws.mit.edu/sfli-data-reproductive-justice?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Let’s build a powerful community of informed advocates. Please pass this along to your network or share it to your page to help us spread the word! 🙌🏽

🌟 Ready to challenge how you think about gender, sexuality, and politics?

Join Feminist and Q***r Theory this fall:
📍 Meets at MIT
🗓 Mondays, 4-7pm
👩‍🏫 Taught by Dr. Heike Schotten (UMass Boston)

Dive into the foundational texts that shaped feminist, q***r, and trans* theory—and wrestle with the big questions that still define these fields today. From abstract theory to real-world political struggles, this course connects ideas to action.

Come ready to read deeply, think critically, and engage boldly.

Apply today:

Feminist and Q***r Theory — GCWS The Consortium for Graduate Studies in Gender, Culture, Women, and Sexuality at MIT Fall 2026; Mondays, 4-7PM Meets at MIT