6-7 June 2024 

Graduate Institute, Geneva

Peace and Security Now Now, more than ever, discussions about the peace and security sector must attend to the logics of gender and race. Inspired by feminist theory and practice that insists upon critical interrogation of systems of power that uphold and perpetuate war, militarism, and violent security practices, this conference brings together academics and practitioners to discuss what is most at stake in contemporary peacemaking. From the enduring impact of the global war on terror, to the promotion of women’s inclusion in security institutions such as military and police, to the complex intersection of the humanitarian, peace, and development sectors: this conference promises a provocative look at the most pressing and urgent issues facing our world—and the possibilities for peace—today.

Past Events

18 November 2022 

Basel, Switzerland

Feminist Political Science as a Bulwark against Anti-Feminist Politics: Launch Event Together with Dr. Leandra Bias, Elizabeth has co-founded the Swiss Association for Gender Studies Research Network on Gender and Political Science. The network held a kick-off event, which included Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Prügl and Dr. Stefania Boulila, to discuss the urgency of increasing the visibility and strength of such a feminist academic network in Switzerland.

1 June 2021

Basel, Switzerland

Women in War: Reflections from Kurdistan and Ukraine The second event of the Gender, War, and Security Research Group brought together Dr. Yuliia Mieriemova and Dr. Isabel Käser to discuss the role of women, gender, and feminist activism within Kurdistan and Ukraine, respectively.

26 May 2021

Online

‘Violent Extremism,’ Gender and Human Rights: Critical Approaches to Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism The first conference of the Gender, War, and Security Research Group at the University of Basel’s Center for Gender Studies, this online conference emerged from the early considerations of the research project on the preventing and countering violent extremism agenda. We brought together internationally renowned scholars and practitioners to discuss the legal and ethical challenges of violence prevention within the global counterterrorism architecture known as P/CVE. The conference’s keynote was given by Fionnuala Ní Aolain, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, one of the most important figures speaking on this topic today.

18 September 2019

Bern, Switzerland

Women, Peace, and Security: Reclaim Prevention Celebrating the launch of the report, Women, Peace and Security and the Prevention of Violence: Reflections from Civil Society in the Context of the Fourth Swiss National Action Plan 1325, this conference brought together civil society, academia, and state institutions to discuss violence prevention in the framework of the Swiss National Action Plan (NAP) 1325. A key speaker and organizer, Elizabeth also had the opportunity to visit the Swiss Parliament with activists from Afghanistan, Palestine, and Kenya, to discuss the importance of Switzerland reconsidering their foreign policy approach when it comes to violence prevention. The report, which can be found here, has continued to circulate both within Switzerland and in France, informing policymakers on approaches to thinking about violent extremism.

A policy brief can be found here.

21 November 2018 

Geneva, Switzerland

Women, Peace, and Security Launch Event Elizabeth spoke at the launch event for the fourth iteration of the Swiss National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325. On behalf of the project, “Civil Society Contribution to the Implementation of the Swiss NAP 1325,” jointly led by PeaceWomen Across the Globe (PWAG), the Swiss Platform for Peacebuilding KOFF at swisspeace, and cfd- The Feminist Peace Organisation, Elizabeth went on to lead a research project that offered critical perspective on the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Agenda from a Women, Peace and Security perspective.