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Activism, Change, and Feminist Futures: A Feminist Politics of Radical Hope in a Time of Oppression

A joint conference from the LEX, VAWGRN, FRAN, and CSEL research networks.

A feminist politics of radical hope in a time of oppression, is a two-day joint conference from: The LEX Network, Violence Against Women and Girls Research Network (VAWGRN), Feminist Legal Research and Action Network (FRAN), and the Centre for the Study of Emotion and Law (CSEL).  

Date: 6 - 7 November 2025

Location: School of Law and Social Justice Building, University of Liverpool

‘Hope is central to marginal politics which speak of desires for equality or simply for a better life. Feminism might be characterised as a politics of hope, a movement underpinned by a utopian drive for equality’(Coleman & Ferreday, 2010). 

Whilst hope is fundamental to making change towards transformative futures rooted in justice, equality and solidarity for all, the question remains: How do we hold onto hope in a world of increasing anti-feminist politics and oppression? How can we sustain hope and resilience in the feminist fight for justice and resistance to oppression? This conference explores the transformative power of feminist politics of radical hope, and how to embrace vision and action as we sustain hope both as individuals, researchers and as a collective.

This year we are delighted to welcome Professor Maggie O’Neill, Professor of Sociology & Criminology and Director of University College, (Cork Futures – Collective Social Futures, and ISS21 Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century and UCC Futures: Collective Social Futures) as a keynote speaker. 

The conference will comprise papers, posters and exhibits that aim to showcase themes of hope through a feminist lens. We invite submissions that draw from a diverse range of disciplines and methodologies, and that explore the concept of a ‘feminist politics of radical hope’, within the topics of:

  • New theoretical frameworks for feminist research
  • Participatory and innovative feminist methods of resistance research
  • Domestic violence and coercive control
  • Sexual violence and harassment
  • Technology-facilitated gender-based violence
  • Migration and far-right politics of exclusion
  • Feminist activism
  • Feminist legal studies
  • Systems and Institutions
  • Wellbeing

This year we will be accepting abstracts for either:

  • Papers (15-20 minute presentation plus 10 minutes for questions)
  • Posters (will be displayed throughout the conference and there will be a dedicated poster session)

When you submit your abstract for consideration, then we ask that you please indicate whether you prefer that we consider it as a paper, poster or both. 

We will also be accepting submissions for exhibits such as artwork, interactive displays that can be displayed throughout the conference. Someone will need to be available to set up and take down the display, and to interact with conference delegates during breaks about the display. 

Submission Procedure: Submit an abstract (of up to 150 words maximum) including all authors names. Please clearly identify which author(s) will attend the conference to present the paper, poster or exhibit by Friday 30th May 2025, using the online submission portal https://forms.office.com/e/1gkWSg9nkk

Conference fee

PhD researcher: £25.00

Part-time or fixed-term posts: £50.00

Full-time permanent posts: £90.00

Registration

  • Register for the conference - Opening Date TBC

Agenda

Day One

13:00 - 14:00 Early Career Researcher Working Lunch
14:00 – 14:15 Welcome
14:15 - 16:15 Panel Session 1 & 2
16:30 - 18:00 Keynote Address
18:00 - 19:30 Drinks Reception

Day Two

09:30 – 10:00 Teas & Coffee
10:00 - 11:30 Panel Sessions 3 & 4
11:30 - 12:00 Break
12:00 - 13:30 Panel Sessions 5 & 6
13:30 - 14:30 Lunch
14:30 - 16:00 Panel Sessions 7 & 8
16:00 - 16:15 Conference close

* The conference is being convened by and brings members together from:

• The Law, Gender & Sexuality Research Network (LEX) (admin@lexnetwork.org)
• The Violence Against Women and Girls Network (vawgrn@uos.ac.uk)
• The Feminist Legal Research and Action Network (Sarah.Singh@liverpool.ac.uk)
• The Centre for the Study of Emotion and Law (CSEL@rhul.ac.uk)