Working with Aggression in our Activism

1. Working with Aggression in our Activism Contributions of Feminist Psychoanalysis & Feminist Ethics Anika Meckesheimer & Barbara Williams AWID Forum 2008

2. Goals & Purpose of this Session • Present ideas from feminist psychoanalysis and feminist ethics about aggression & ethics • Explore effects of aggression on our relations in organizations and movements • Support autonomy in meaning making • Stimulate ideas for building new ways of working together

3. Overview of the Agenda • Introductions • Method • Input on feminist ethics • Input on aggression • Discussion in small groups and plenary • What we can do differently

4. Method • Mindmapping and the building of knowledge • Rhizome figure (Deleuze/Guattari) -connect and interrelate dimensions of aggression - identify shared understandings and differences • Recognition of difference in building relationality • Focus on thinking and sharing experience

7. Method • Mindmapping and the building of knowledge • Rhizome figure (Deleuze/Guattari) -connect and interrelate dimensions of aggression - identify shared understandings and differences • Recognition of difference in building relationality • Focus on thinking and sharing experience

8. Introductions • Who we are • Who you are: • In your group • Name, affiliation (organization, group), country • Words or images you associate with aggression • Words or images to capture how aggression effects your work

9. Feminist Ethics as method • Ethics as Philosophy of Practice • How shall we act to achieve a good life? • Feminist thought on ethics as model of questioning, based on situatedness:

10. Situatedness • Perspective: Who how thinks we should act? • Focus: Who puts the focus on which kind of aspects of life? • Who is naming, signifying, creating new cultures?

11. Analysis of classical discourse • Examples of classical disciplines: Descriptive ethics Normative ethics Ethical codes • There cannot be a universalist ethics, • Certain aspects might only be seen from certain perspectives

12. Ethics of care • Carol Gilligan (1982) In a Different Voice • Kohlbergs Dilemma presented to boys AND girls Ethics of pleasure • Graciela Hierro, Mexico UNAM (2001)

13. Foucault on Ethics • Ethics as relationship with oneself (1984) • Ethics: life as a work of art • Based on a critical analysis of social discourse as tools for understanding ones own ways of acting • Feminist ethical thought for creating references and guidelines

14. AggressionThinkers • Freud • Post-Freudians: • Winnicott, Lacan • Feminist psychoanalytic thinkers: • Kristeva, Benjamin, Fernández • Silkenbäumer • Bion

15. Thoughts on Aggression • Aggression as drive and instinct: • A negative force to be contained and constrained • A destructive impulse • Aggression as positive energy: • for differentiation, autonomy & creativity

16. Images • Fists • Blood • Words • Tears

17. ActsSystemic, Interpersonal/group, Intra-psychic • Hatred • Violence • Hostility • Violation • Threats • Exclusions • Anger • Apathy • Creativity • Assertion • Refusals

18. How Aggression Effects our Activisms How can aggression impede and/or help our activism?

19. Possibilities Discussion: How can we deal with aggression to strengthen/deepen/help our activism? Which are constructive forms of/ constructive experiences with aggression?

20. Many thanks!