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Toulouse-Le Mirail University (the arch), Amphitheatre 9,
Toulouse, France. 20th-21st February 2004
European research : Belgium, France, Greece
What if we talked about men ? And what if men talked ?
What’s going on with men ?
What’s going on for men ?
Concerning equality between men and women, but also between men and men ;
Their everyday lives, their relationships with work, with sexualities, with the family
Difficulties with integrating new models of fatherhood, partnership, friendship, of colleagues and citizens
Concerning the obligatory virility at work and at home
The difficulties of living and talking about equality with women and with other men
Male sufferings and fears
The relationship between professional and private life
Their desires for different relationships amongst themselves, with women, with children
What is there to say about male resistance to the changes brought about by women and by men ?
In the past few years an increasing amount of work and publications have been centred around women. The gender perspective itself seems at times to have forgotten the other side of social gender relationships .
This is why, along with other associations and university institutions, the sociological and ethnic research association Les Traboules has set up a European study on male resistances to change . In France, Belgium and Greece we have questioned men about their relationships with women, with other men, about their perceptions of and involvement with the politics of equality between men and women, whether they concern work, private or public life.
To understand male resistances to change, and allow a quicker, more effective promotion of politics for equality between women and men, we consider it necessary to presuppose two concomitant elements :
That of analysing and understanding the complex alchemy which organises social gender relations, whether they are exercised in the workplace or at home, or, perhaps more importantly, in the interaction between these two spheres which are so often represented as being independent.
That of centring our analyses and actions around those men who, apparently resist, are reluctant about or even refuse change, or who are represented as so doing. And, on the other hand, to interest ourselves in men who claim to want to facilitate the evolution of our societies towards equality.
Our meeting, then, aims to listen to men talking about their relations to women, in their jobs or in their private lives, to understand their resistances to change and, finally, to communicate with them, TALK to them.
In this first stage, we have privileged three spheres of analysis :
- male and female political and administrative representatives who have a link with politics of equality.
- trade unionists responsible for putting into action agreements on equity and the conciliation of work and family.
- men who have decided to change their lifestyles in ways which seek to give them more equality with women.
The objective of this end-of-research seminar will be, then, to look at the current state of affairs concerning male resistances to change , the problems of studying men and masculinity, the obstacles, misunderstandings and conflicts which subsist in male/female relationships.
The presence of various international specialists on men and masculinity (Michaël Kimmel, Jeffrey Hearn, Jorgen Lorentzen, Luc Van Campenhoudt, Jeanne Fagnani…) will allow the comparison of our analyses with those of other countries not included in this study.
The seminar is aimed at researchers on masculinity and masculinities from various countries, university students and teachers, politicians, administrators, trade unionists , but also to men and women from civil groups and associations.
The European Study on Male Resistances to Change is supported by the General Direction of Employment and Social Affairs, the European Commission’s Community Action Programme for Equality Between Men and Women, and the Regional Delegation for Women’s Rights and Equality of the Midi-Pyrenees..
Partners :
France : Equipe Simone /Sagesse (Toulouse-le-Mirail University) RIME association, CGT, CFDT
Belgium : Association Ex-Aequo, the Socio-Epidemiological Observatory on AIDS and Sexualities, the university faculties of St. Louis, the Catholic University of Louain-La-Neuve
Greece : KHETI, Panteion University.
(see Contacts page)
N.B.
Taking advantage of the occassion of this seminar on equality between men and women, and in the framework of a European evaluation of centres for violent men set up by the association Les Traboules, a special meeting will be held in Toulouse on the 19th February for a discussion on European structures of reception for violent men.
Men Undergoing Change : Programme
Friday 20th February 2004
8h30-9h30
Reception
9h30-10h
Opening
Sophie Pioro, European Coordinator
Viviane Willis-Mazzichi, Principal administrator of the Male/Female equality unit, General Direction of Employment and Social Affairs, European Commission
Rémy Pech, President of Toulouse Le Mirail University
10h-12h30 : Plenary
What’s the current situation of studies on men and masculinity ?
Led by :
Jeanne Fagnani, Director of research at CNRS MATISSE, Paris University1-CNRS
Contributors :
Daniel Welzer-Lang, Sociologist, Toulouse Le Mirail University
Michaël Kimmel, Professor, Department of Sociology, New York
Jeffrey Hearn, Professor, Swedish School of Economic Science, Helsinki, Finland and Huddersfield University, United Kingdom
Jorgen Lorentzen, Researcher on men and masculinity at the Centre for Gender Studies, Oslo University
12h30-14h : Lunch
14h-18h : Round table debates
1. Unions and the World of Work
Contributors :
Yannick Le Quentrec, Sociologist, Toulouse Le Mirail University
Iakovos Farsedakis, Professor at the Department of Criminology 'PANTEION' University
Speaker :
Annick Coupé, National spokesperson for the Union G10 Solidaires
Testimonies from :
Jean-Marc Ledoux, Representative of the CFDT Union
Philippe Buchet, Permanent Delegate of CGSP, Ministry Section, Belgium
Led by :
Chrysovalantis Papathanasiou, Doctorate in Sociology at EHESS Paris, researcher for the association Les Traboules
2. Politicians and economic/administrative decision-makers
Contributors :
Martine Corbière, Sociologist, Toulouse Le Mirail University
Mme Artinopoulou, Presidant of KETHI (Centre for Research on Questions of Gender Equality) & Professor agrégé at the Department of Psychology, 'PANTEION' University
Speakers :
Alain Lipietz, Member of the European Parliament (French Green Party)
Salah Amokrane, Municipal Councillor (Motivé-e-s), Toulouse
Testimonies from :
Bruno de Lille, Deputy Burgomaster for Flemish affairs, Equal Opportunities and International Solidarity, Brussels
Maurice Coquin, Director, mission locale (aid for young people), Toulouse
Led by :
Gratia Pungu, Responsible for Equal Opportunities for the district councils, Brussels
Saturday 21st February 2004
9h – 12h30 : Round table debate
3. Renegotiating men
Contributors :
Alexandre Clemens, researcher for the association Les Traboules
Anita Meidani, Sociologist, ATER Toulouse II Le Mirail, CERS/CIRUS Laboratory
Speakers :
Jacques Marquet, Professor of sociology, Catholic University, Louvain
Christine Castelain-Meunier, Sociologist at the CNRS, the EHESS and the CADIS
Jorgen Lorentzen, Oslo University
Testimonies from :
Guillaume Pautrat, France
Stayros Pagmantidis, Greece
Led by :
Vladimir Martens, Director of the AIDS and Sexualities Observatory, University Faculties of Saint-Louis
12h30-14h : Lunch
14h-17h : Plenary
Women and men : exchanging points of view
Led by/Synthesis :
Luc Van Campenhoudt, Professor, University Faculties of Saint-Louis, Brussles
Daniel Welzer-Lang, Sociologist, Toulouse Le Mirail University
Contributors (Women) :
Jeanne Fagnani, Director of Research, CNRS MATISSE, Paris University1
Catherine Simon, Journalist, Le Monde
Véronique Degraef, Sociologist, "Women and Science" Unit/ General Director for Research, European Commission
Contributors (Men): :
Jean-Paul Graver, White Ribbon Campaign in French-speaking Belgium
Luis Bonino, Psychologist
Ignasi Pons i Antón, Professor at the Department of Sociology, Barcelona University
Traboules home page
Seminar: Presentation - Plan/Info - Programme - Inscription - Poster - Contacts
Men Undergoing Change : Inscription
The inscription form can be downloaded in Word format (2001 or RTF) or PDF
Inscription Form :
Format Word 2001
Format Word RTF
Format PDF
Send your form by post to : « Les traboules ». 14 rue Lafon 31000 TOULOUSE
Or by e-mail (by attachment: Word ou PDF) to: semhom@traboules.org
General Information
Translation :
Translations of texts will be provided for the parts of the seminar which are not conducted in English, and an English translator will be available during the weekend
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