Dieuwertje Dyi Huijg
PhD project
Working title
The Phenomenology of Intersectional Agency. A case study of racially privileged young, feminist activists in São Paulo, Brazil
In my research I am interested in the intersectional agency of racially privileged young feminist activists from São Paulo (Brazil). Relying on a phenomenological methodology, I hope to understand how, in the context of opposite positions in power relations, intersectional agency is experienced, negotiated, mobilised and (re)produced by the individual who aims at social change.
- Supervisors: Dr. Bridget Byrne and Dr. Kevin Gillan
- Funding: Sociology Studentship, University of Manchester
Research interests
- Thematic interest: young, feminist activism and ideology, gender, race, generational relations (among other axes)
- Social and philosophical theoretical interest: Feminist theory, Intersectional theory, Race critical studies, Critical whiteness studies
- Concepts: agency, action and intra-action; structure; causation; self; experience; reflexivity, consciousness-raising and conscientisation; ideology; hegemony, doxa and common sense
- Methodological interest: phenomenology and action research, critical discourse analysis
- Epistemological interest: feminist standpoint theory
Academic background
MA in Languages and Cultures of Latin America, Leiden University
- Thesis: Feministas Brancas ... Tirando a Máscara? A expressão da branquitude feminina na análise de relações raciais intra-gênero [White Feminists...Take Off Their Mask? The expression of female whiteness in the analysis of intra-gender race relations]
BSc Minor in International Relations, University of Amsterdam
Research
Publications
- Huijg, D.D. (2012). "Tension in Intersectional Agency. A theoretical discussion of the interior conflict of white, feminist activists' intersectional location", Journal of International Women’s Studies, Vol.13, No.2: 3-18 [Essay Prize 2010/11, competition FWSA] [online version]
- Huijg, D.D. (2011). “‘Eu não preciso falar que eu sou branca, cara, eu sou Latina!’ Ou a complexidade da identificação racial na ideologia de ativistas jovens (não-)brancas”, [‘I do not have to say that I am white, man, I am Latina!’ Or the complexity of the racial identification in the ideology of (non)white, young, female activists], Cadernos PAGU, Campinas, Vol.36, No.janeiro-junho: 77-116. [online version in Portuguese]
Conference papers & seminars
- Huijg, D.D. (2011). “Globalised Sisterhood? White women in feminist solidarity”, Rethinking Global Feminism, University of Warwick, Warwick: 25 November 2011.
- Huijg, D.D. (2011). “Epistemic Confusion at the Feminist Activist Locus of Intersectional Dis/advantage: Some Questions for Standpoint Theory”, Feminist Epistemology and Philosophical Traditions Conference, Kingston University: 18-19 November 2011.
- Huijg, D.D. (2011). "Gender and Race Crosscut, but Intersectional Women are not White? A critical reflection on whiteness and privilege in European intersectional theory", 10th ESA Conference. Social Relations in Turbulent Times, Geneva: 7-10 September 2011.
- Huijg, D.D. (2011). "White, young, feminist activism. Researching intersectional agency where (in)action and (lack of) power crosscut", 2nd European Conference on Politics and Gender, CEU, Budapest: 13-15 January 2011.
- Huijg, D.D. (2010). "Female Whiteness. A theoretical exploration of inaction as agency", New Territories in Critical Whiteness Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds: 18-20 August 2010.
- Huijg, D.D. (2010). “Researching inaction as agency”, delegate session at the Summer Institute in Qualitative Research, MMU, Manchester: 19-23 July 2010.
- Huijg, D.D. (2010). "The Intersectionality of Agency and the Agency in Intersectionality: exploring apparent contradictions in white, feminist activism", Feminist Intersectionality and Political Discourse summer school, Central European University, Budapest: 5-9 July 2010.
- Huijg, D.D. (2010). "On the Crossroad of Agency and Intersectionality: challenging white, female activists", Lancaster Sociology Summer Conference, University of Lancaster, Lancaster: 28-29 June 2010.
- Huijg, D.D. (2010). “Intersectionality & Agency: apparent contradictions in white, young, feminist activism”, PhD seminar Young Feminism, University of Manchester, Manchester: 11 May 2010
- Huijg, D.D. (2009). "Lessons Learnt from the Past? An interpretation of whiteness in Dutch Second Wave feminism", 7th European Feminist Research Conference. Gendered Cultures at the Crossroads of Imagination, Knowledge and Politics, Utrecht University, Utrecht: 4-7 June 2009.
- Huijg, D.D. (2008). "The Diversity of White Identity. An analysis of the identity of (non-)white, young, female activists in São Paulo, Brazil", LOVA Conference: Ethnographies of Gender and Globalization, University of Amsterdam/CEDLA, Amsterdam: 3-4 June 2008
- Huijg, D.D. (2006) "Contra quem? A conflituosa posição das militantes jovens brancas na luta transformadora" [Contra whom? The conflictive position of white, young, female activists in the transformative struggle], VII Conference Doing Gender, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis: 28-30 August 2006.
Organisation & facilitation seminars and panels
- Panel “Continuities and discontinuities of whiteness and nation in Europe”, Social Relations in Turbulent Times, 10th ESA Conference, Geneva: 07-10 September 2011 (with Dr. Bridget Byrne)
- International Virtual Seminar (online) “Discourse analytical approaches towards uncovering power relations, with a specific focus on race/whiteness”, 24 January 2010
- PhD seminar “Young Feminism”, University of Manchester, Manchester, 11 May 2010 (with Susan O’Shea)
- Seminar “Critical Whiteness and Transformative Sociology”, University of Manchester, 5 May 2010 (Speaker Prof. Les Back, Discussant Dr. Bridget Byrne)
Other academic activities
- January 2010-present: Peer Reviewer for the Graduate Journal of Social Sciences
- Autumn 2011: Facilitation PhD seminars Sociology, University of Manchester
- Autumn 2010: Facilitation reading group Foucault (Archaeology of Knowledge)
Awards
- Essay Prize 2010/11, competition FWSA (Feminist and Women Studies Association UK & Ireland)
Teaching
TA modules
- Self and Society, UG 2nd year
- British Society in a Globalising World, UG 1st year
- Gender, Sexuality and Culture, UG 2nd year
- Sociology of Personal Life, UG 1st year
Other
- November 2010: Guest lecture “Intersectional Theory”, Module Gender, Sexuality & Culture, University of Manchester
Extra-curricular
Social movement activities
- March 2010: Facilitation panel on Sexism and Transphobia in the LGBTQ movement in the Netherlands, Queer conference Queeristan, Amsterdam
- October 2009: "How white is your women’s movement?", presentation at a Riveters’ meeting, Feminist Collective of the Student’s Union, University of Manchester
- 1994-2009: President/founder, coordinator, board member, facilitator, organiser and general participant of/in diverse networks, organisations and events in the field of multiracial and young feminism (Netherlands, Brazil), anti-racism and LGBT issues.