Events

#International Conferences 

Recap: Day 1 of International Conference 2024 – Making Changes: Gender and Impactful Policy

Key Speakers:
Prof. Chizuko UENO and Prof. Deborah DAVIS shared their perspectives on intimate relationship dynamics, drawing from their observations in Japanese and Chinese societies. Their presentations included comprehensive statistics depicting macro changes and explored how these changes impact daily intimate lives, as well as the diverse and potential forms of caregiving and co-living.

Diverse Perspectives:
Our conference was enriched by the presence of outstanding younger discussants from psychology, media studies, and sociology backgrounds. Prof. Wong, Prof. Chan, and Prof. Lai offered their unique views on intimate relationships and gender, sexuality dynamics, providing valuable insights from their own research. The discussion took an exhilarating turn as the speakers delved into the impact of AI technologies on the very fabric of intimate connections.

Gender Researchers’ Role:
In her inspiring concluding remark, our Co-director, Prof. Choi, posed inspiring questions about alternative models of care and intimacy from an intersectional and global perspective. She emphasized the central role of gender researchers in exploring this future matter for all of us, whose contribution is vital in shaping a more inclusive and equitable society.

Incredible Engagement:
The energy in the theatre was palpable as attendees from different schools packed the venue, creating a vibrant atmosphere of intellectual exchange. And let’s not forget our online participants! We were thrilled to have a staggering 1200 virtual attendees who actively engaged in the riveting Q&A session, adding their voices to the thought-provoking dialogue.

Gratitude and Anticipation:
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our brilliant speakers, insightful discussants, and enthusiastic attendees for their invaluable contributions to this transformative dialogue. Stay tuned for more thought-provoking events in the future!

Recap: Day 2 of International Conference 2024 – Making Changes: Gender and Impactful Policy

We brought together brilliant gender scholars from top universities in Japan, the US, the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. Together, we delved into the cutting-edge dynamics between gender, policies, and daily life.

The keynote speeches were very inspiring! Prof. Guerrina from the University of Bristol took us on a journey through the gendered realms of various socio-economic aspects in foreign policy. Prof. Wilcox, from the University of Cambridge, gave us a fresh perspective on how AI technologies can embody and reproduce gender and racial bodies in war and international relations. Prof. Yeoh from National University of Singapore fascinated us with her research on waste management practices and the intricate connections to migrant women domestic workers in Singapore within a transnational and gendered context. And our Co-director, Prof. Choi, took an intersectional lens to analyse the intimate relationships of queer individuals in China, exploring the intricate structural constrains imposed by heteronormativity and patriarchy.

We were also thrilled to hear from excellent gender scholars including our Co-director Pro. Nakano and Prof. Wong, Prof. Song and Prof. Suen at Gender Studies Programme of CUHK. They shared their exciting research findings, covering topics like the experiences of single women in urban Asia, the evolving gender concepts among single-sex school students in Hong Kong, gendered strategies of family division in relocated housing in China, and the intriguing relationship between traditional religious beliefs and attitudes towards same-sex marriage in Hong Kong.

Throughout the day, the conference buzzed with energy! The presentations were captivating, and the audience actively participated, sparking engaging discussions. The tea breaks provided a relaxed atmosphere for networking and vibrant conversations. We were honoured to have Prof. Cheung, the founder of the Gender Research Centre and Gender Studies Programme, deliver an insightful rejoinder speech, concluding the conference on a high note. We truly believe that this international conference not only fosters global scholarly exchange but also brings valuable research to the masses and supports policy development.