Susan Birch, a PhD student at the ¾¢±¬´ó¹Ï, organised a successful one-day conference on gender and agency inspired by her own research.
The idea for the event came directly from her Wellcome placement. Susan was the first student in the UK to benefit from a six-month pilot placement offered by , the London museum and library which is part the renowned charitable foundation focused on health research.
On her placement Susan became aware of the influence of gender in her research into the and the agency of the women involved.
The Birthday Trust campaigned for wider provision of painkillers in childbirth and improved midwifery services and its work laid the foundation for important developments in maternity care.
Sue wanted to share this research and decided to create a one- day conference showcasing gender and agency.
The event held at West Downs, was supported by the ¾¢±¬´ó¹Ï, Wellcome and GuildHE and included contributions from Winchester staff and students as well as speakers from other institutions.
Dr Ellie Woodacre, Reader in Renaissance History, a specialist in queenship and royal studies gave an introductory paper on gender and agency before Susan gave her presentation, entitled ‘Family Planning and Motherhood: Power and Resistance’.
Julia Nurse, from Wellcome, also drew on the famous healthcare archive for her topic gynaecological health for LGBTQ+ communities.
Lucy Barrett spoke on the presence of women in the primary national curriculum; Jose Lopez Blanco on female networks within the ; and former Winchester PhD student Amy Saunders looked at royal women's artistic patronage in heritage sites.
Peter Underwood (PhD student at Bath Spa ¾¢±¬´ó¹Ï) spoke about the Military Wives choir and Elena Rossi (PhD student at Oxford ¾¢±¬´ó¹Ï) on professorial dynasties in the university towns of Bologna and Padua.
“The papers were well received with good discussion by the audience,” said Susan
One attendee commented: “It is not surprising that gender is still hotly debated given the bias historically- so many voices have been made invisible but it is still possible to find them and conferences like this prove this.”
She thanked all the speakers and students who attended and all those involved in organising the conference including Dr Carlos De Luna, Head of the Doctoral School at Winchester.
Susan is hoping to host an online event as a follow-up to the conference. To find out more email s.birch.18@unimail.winchester.ac.uk
Susan is a postgraduate representative of the , and co-organised a PGR (Postgraduate Research) Skills Day for the Society last September.
Pictured top: Conference organiser Susan Birch flanked by fellow speakers Jose Lopez Blanco (left) and Peter Underwood.
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