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Lewis University to celebrate women's studies during awareness week March 7-10

Lewis University will host a series of events from March 7-10 exploring the racial and gendered violence and oppression that marks the lives of many women. The purpose of Women’s Studies Awareness Week is to examine different cultures and different historical periods to show the trials in women’s lives as well as the practices of resistance they have devised. Held on Lewis University’s main campus in Romeoville, all four events are free of charge and open to the public.

At 6:30 p.m. on March 7 in the Sancta Alberta Chapel, Dr. Pineda-Madrid, associate professor of philosophy at Boston College, will describe the brutal murdering of more than 600 girls and women in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, that has been occurring since 1993. As she presents “Feminicide, Practices of Resistance, and the Possibility of Salvation,” Pineda-Madrid will draw from theological questions which arise from this brutality and from the practices of resistance that have been developed in response to these killings, finding hope in these practices despite tragedy.

“Every Move You Make… I’ll Be Texting You” will take place at 3:30 p.m. on March 8 in the D’Arcy Great Room. It is based on a study of Lewis University students conducted by Dr. Lynn Tovar, assistant professor of justice, law and public safety studies, and a joint presentation she made with Dr. Tracey Nicholls, assistant professor of philosophy and women’s studies program, to the 2010 “End Violence Against Women” international conference. The presentation explores ways that technology, such as cell phone texting, can function as a control mechanism in abusive relationships. It also offers students information about how to assess the quality of their relationships in general.

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A presentation entitled “Hearts Beating for Liberty: Women Abolitionists in the Old Northwest” will be delivered by Dr. Stacey Robertson, associate professor of history at Bradley University, at 1 p.m. on March 9 in Room AS 158. She will explore western women abolitionists’ unique approach to battling slavery. Distinct from their eastern sisters, women from Ohio to Illinois developed cooperative and flexible antislavery methods that allowed them to quietly enter the “masculine” public sphere. Working through female and mixed-anti-slavery societies, these women sewed, wrote, sang and prayed. They also forged an important space for themselves in Liberty-Party politics, the Quaker-led boycott of slave goods, and efforts to aid fugitives through the Underground Railroad.

“Marching with Dr. King: Chicago and the Civil Rights Movement” will take place at 9:30 a.m. on March 10 in the Big Red Room, as Marilyn Nissim-Sabat, professor emeritus of philosophy, discusses her experiences as part of the Civil Rights Movement in the Chicago area. She will also screen excerpts of the renowned video series “Eyes on the Prize” that document this local connection to national history.

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The Women’s Studies Program at Lewis University is designed to promote understanding and appreciation of women—in their diverse social locations and experiences—in contemporary society. The program is multi-disciplinary in nature, addressing gender-related issues through course work in literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology, religion, other humanities disciplines, and athletics. Both men and women are encouraged to participate in the Women’s Studies Program.

Sponsored by the Lewis University Women’s Studies Program, this series is also being presented as a part of Lewis University’s Arts & Ideas Program, providing cultural and educational programming for students and the community. For additional information, please contact Dr. Karen Trimble Alliaume at (815) 836-5884.

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.  Visit www.lewisu.edu <http://www.lewisu.edu> for further information.

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