Call for Applications: Workshop on Feminist Economics: Theoretical Perspectives, Contemporary Issues and Policy Frameworks, April 6-9, Sri Lanka. Applications accepted until 00:00 hrs UTC 8 March 2025

The International Development Economics Associates LTD (IDEAs), in collaboration with the Law and Society Trust, Sri Lanka, is organising a workshop in Feminist Economics in Sri Lanka from April 6-9 2025. The workshop is intended for participants from the South Asia region.

Feminist economics rejects the key ideological foundations of neoclassical economics – individualism, optimisation and equilibrium – social constructs that are not only abstracted from reality but entrench bias and discrimination against women, undervalue or disregard women’s work and lives thereby, perpetuate inequalities and women’s domination.  By conceiving of the economy as embedded in social relations of power bounded by nature, feminist economics provides a theory for gender equal and green societies. It refocuses economic theory and analysis to addressing the real foundations of the economy, i.e. women’s productive and reproductive labour and to reorient economic analysis to neglected areas such as the care/reproductive economy, family economics and intersectionality. Feminist economics is heterodox in nature drawing from a wider variety of analytical traditions, compared to mainstream economics, whilst contributing unique gender-aware perspectives to economics.

The four day workshop will provide an opportunity for participants from South Asia to get exposed to the theoretical frameworks, themes addressed and research methods involved in employing a gendered perspective to the economy.  It will focus on how conceptualising the economy from a gender perspective alters fundamentally how macroeconomic variables, processes and outcomes can be understood, as well as how individuals, families and groups of people experience lives as economic and social beings. The workshop will take students through the vast area of academic research, policymaking and social movement engagement that comes from a gendered understanding of the economics and the economics discipline. It will focus on how conceptualising the economy from a gender perspective alters fundamentally how macroeconomic variables, processes and outcomes can be understood,  as well as how individuals, families and groups of people experience lives as economic and social beings. The course will cover issues of labour markets and employment, production and social reproduction, agriculture and land relations, poverty and inequality, debt, the environment and conflict. There will be a specific emphasis on perspectives and experiences from the Global South.

The workshop will be preceded by a one-day conference titled ““Women, Development and Social Transformation”, which will address some key issues that have become central to the discourse on ‘women’s empowerment’ and participation of women in the economy in the global south, with a focus on Sri Lanka. Workshop participants will get an opportunity to attend the conference.

Eligibility

Applicants should have completed at least two years of an undergraduate degree with some exposure to economics. Candidates who  have completed post-graduation in other social science disciplines, but are  keen to enrol in this workshop, are also welcome to apply. Candidates must have reasonable fluency and comprehension of the English language.

Application Deadline: UTC 00:00hrs, 8 March 2025

To apply online: Click Here

In your application, you would need to include:

1. Statements of grades/Marksheets of your under-graduate and postgraduate  degrees.
2. A statement of purpose explaining your academic background, your academic  interests and why you want to enrol for this workshop.
3. One letter of recommendation from a teacher, supervisor or anyone else you  have professionally worked with. The LoRs of candidates who are in  full-time jobs or are enrolled in full-time PhD programmes should be from  their employer/supervisor, and should include an affirmation that, in the  event of their selection, they would be able to devote necessary time to  travel and  participate in the workshop. LoRs should also confirm the candidate’s fluency in  the English language.

Travel and Lodging

Selected participants are expected to arrive on the 4th of April 2025 and check out on the 10th. The workshop will be held from 2-7 pm on 6 April and 9 am to 6 pm on 7-9 April.

All travel, boarding and lodging costs will be fully covered by IDEAs for the dates specified.

Selection

An admissions committee constituted by IDEAs will review the applications and shortlist candidates. Selected candidates will be notified by 12 March 2025

Confirmation of Admission

Selected candidates will be required to confirm their acceptance of the offer
of admission by email by 15 March 2025.

 Contact

For any queries, email: s.damodaran@networkideas.org