Feminist Jurisprudence DG Annual Workshop: Feminism in Conflict

We are excited to host the 6th edition of the Feminist Jurisprudence Discussion Group's Annual Workshop. This year's theme is Feminism in Conflict. The workshop invites a broad interpretation of conflict. This may include, non-exhaustively, (i) conflicting theoretical, pragmatic, and methodological proposals in the feminist movement, (ii) conflict within social institutions such as the family, (iii) conflict between state and subject, as witness violent interactions between women and law enforcement agencies, and (iv) feminist perspectives in global war, genocide, and neocolonial relations.

Please register at this link. The event is open to all and walk-ins are also welcome.

Join us online here: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/362298524799829?p=ThoD1qpjqpTilXZj2Y
Meeting ID: 362 298 524 799 829
Passcode: 4ey6cH23

Marcelle Ragazoni Carvalho Ferreira, Research Visitor at the Bonavero & federal judge in Brazil, will deliver the lecture titled 'Gender Equality and Diversity in the Judiciary and their Relevance in the Pursuit of Social Justice'.

Abstract:

This is a paper in progress aiming to exam how gender inequality and the lack of diversity in courts impact judicial decision-making and the delivery of fair justice. The central hypothesis is that judicial systems that promote equality and diversity—whether in terms of gender, race, or other social identities—are more likely to produce decisions that are inclusive, socially legitimate, and trusted by the public.

To develop this argument, the paper briefly explores the factors that have contributed to the lack of diversity in judicial courts to this day, addressing Feminist Institutionalist Theory and investigating how gender inequality shapes the functioning of the judiciary, and how changing this scenario may lead to significant institutional transformation.

By exploring both the perspective of judges and that of litigants, this paper highlights gender-sensitive judgment techniques and seeks to demonstrate that diversity is not only a matter of ethical commitment and human rights, but also an institutional strategy to strengthen governance and public confidence in the judiciary.

At the same time, the paper presents examples of successful inclusionary public policies adopted and examines how they have positively impacted the resolution of social conflicts. In conclusion, this paper argues that increased female representation is necessary and essential for democratic values, but also that a feminist approach among all members of the Judiciary is a means of reducing inequalities, both within the institution itself and to for litigants.

About the Speaker:

Marcelle Ragazoni Carvalho Ferreira is a federal judge in Brazil, serving on the Federal Small Claims Appellate Court, which handles cases concerning the granting of social security and welfare benefits to vulnerable populations in Brazil. As a federal judge, Marcelle served as President of the Association of Federal Judges of the States of São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul (AJUFESP). She was elected as the first woman to preside over the institution and was a founding member of the Women’s Commission of AJUFE (Brazilian Association of Federal Judges). The work of the AJUFE Women’s Commission brought together female judges to promote gender equality and conducted pioneering research on gender diversity within the Brazilian Judiciary. In the academic field, her work is closely connected to Human Rights, particularly her Master’s thesis entitled Regulation of Public Services as an Instrument for the Realization of Human Rights from the Perspective of Humanist Capitalism. Marcelle also wrote the article Interpretation of Social Security Law and the Granting of Social Benefits to Vulnerable Populations in Brazil: Judgments from a Gender Perspective, for the commemorative book marking the 20th anniversary of the Federal Small Claims Courts.

Panel 1: Ruptures in Family and Intimacy

1. Conflicting Approaches to Women as ‘Victim-Survivors’ and ‘Mothers’ in the Family Court: is the Private Law Pathfinder a Suitable Solution? - Elsa Horne (Oxford)
2. Can Habeas Corpus Free Love? - Amala Dasarathi (SOAS)
3. When Labour Bears No Fruit: Marital Property & Economic Justice in India - Vasudha Chandwani (SOAS)

Panel 2: Contested Ideas of Agency

1. Marriage as Harm - An Epistemic Enquiry - Vibha Swaminathan (Oxford) & Riya Sharma (Advocate & Researcher)
2. Reproductive Autonomy in Conflict: Feminist Contestations Around Surrogacy Regulation in India - Garima (SOAS)

Panel 3: Repression and Recognition

1. Gender Apartheid: women’s urgent call for action and International Law’s failure to pick up the phone - Larissa Tavares de Freitas (Campania Vanvitelli)
2. "Seen but not recognised": Intersectionality, epistemic conflict, and the structural erasure of minority women in global health governance - Thanika Kaur-Scille (LSE)
3. Amicus Curiae on the Constitutional and Human Rights Violations Arising from Ecuador’s 2026 Mining Reform: Organic Law for the Strengthening of the Strategic Sectors of Mining and Energy - Karla Bayas (Oxford)