BITCH, WITCH, WHORE: REPRESENTATIONS OF WOMEN IN WORD AND IMAGE
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: JOANNE HOLLOWS (NOTTINGHAM TRENT)
An Inter-disciplinary Postgraduate Conference
University of Newcastle, 26 May 2006

Both historic and contemporary representations of women in word and image
are understood, all too often, through the madonna/whore dichotomy: from
the delicate Victorian waif to the red-lipsticked vamp of fifties film noir; from Molly Bloom to Buffy. This conference will consider iconic representations and enduring archetypes of women, addressing their persistent appeal and exposing their limitations. What makes certain versions of femininity archetypal? Can they be subverted, challenged, and/or reclaimed?

Suggested themes for papers and panel include, but are not limited to:
• Women’s Film/Women in Film
• Romance Fiction
• Chick Lit/Chick Flicks
• The Queer Female
• Women and the Supernatural
• Women’s Writing
• Male Odes to Female Subjects
• The Semiotics of Femininity
• Female ‘Heroes’
• Women and War
• Women and Class
• Costume and Fashion
• The Figure of the ‘Girl’
• Children’s Literature
• Ethnic Femininities
• Prostitution
• Backlash Politics
• Career Women

The conference provides a space for current or recent postgraduates to
present. Proposals for panels are encouraged – include the panel title,
abstracts and titles for each paper and contact details for all
speakers.
The conference will end with a wine reception, during which delegates
can
enjoy creative work pertinent to the conference’s themes, including
short
films, poetry and exhibitions of visual art.

Abstract Deadline: 250-300 words (academic and creative submissions) by
15
February 2006
Notification of Acceptance: Before 1 March 2006
Abstract Submission/More Information: BWWconf@ncl.ac.uk

Conference Committee Victoria Adams, Polli Allen, Paul Bowden, Helen
Fenwick & Sian Harris
School of English, University of Newcastle

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