West Virginia University students who have traveled and studied abroad will discuss their experiences and their impressions of gender issues in these countries during “Going Global: Gender Perspectives on International Engagement” at noon Wednesday, Oct. 12 in the Greenbrier Room of the Mountainlair.

The Center for Women’s Studies and the Geography Program is hosting this panel discussion to allow students the opportunity to share their international experiences.

Those in attendance will learn about engagement with community groups in Malawi, studying health policy in France, working with coffee cooperatives in Nicaragua and more.

The panel will include discussions on gender and women’s issues observed during their trip, the impact their experiences had on their own gender, connection of these experiences to women’s and gender studies courses and promoting these experiences to encourage other students to participate in study abroad programs.

“Ideas of gender and gender roles and relations are changing from what I observed,” said Abra Sitler, panelist who is studying English and biology. “In the West I think we often have an oversimplified idea of the ‘oppressed African woman’ which isn’t accurate. Gender relations, roles and interactions are much more complex than we tend to think in southern and eastern Africa.”

More insightful observations from various countries around the world will come from fellow panelists: Miranda Miller, Alanna Markle, Chelsea Hodgkins, Abigail Miller and Justin Belton.

Refreshments will be served.

The Center for Women’s Studies supports teaching, research and advocacy that is based on feminist perspectives and centered on analyses of gender and its intersection with race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, age and ability.

—WVU—

md/10/7/11

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CONTACT: Megan Denny
(724) 833-7848; mdenny@mix.wvu.edu