G.11. Gender Representations And Democracy: Violence, Media And Cultural Resistance

This panel explores how gender inequalities - particularly those related to gender-based violence - are reproduced, contested or transformed through educational, media and cultural socialisation processes. In dialogue with the conference theme Learning for Democracy/Democracy for Learning, the panel investigates how democratic values can be cultivated in a communicative environment marked by disinformation, polarisation, and persistent gender stereotypes. In contemporary societies, public discourse play a decisive role in shaping the democratic imaginary, but they often normalise sexist narratives and reproduce structural power asymmetries.

We invite researchers to contribute reflections that analyse how media ecosystems, journalism and digital communication spaces represent gender, power and violence, and how these representations influence democratic participation and the possibilities for inclusive citizenship. Particular attention is paid to media narratives of gender-based violence and their impact on public understanding of rights, agency and responsibility, as well as to feminist and LGBTQ+ counter-narratives and reframing practices developed, for example, by civil society and feminist and LGBTQ+ movements, which are capable of countering stereotypes, biases and cultures of blame.

The panel promotes interdisciplinary approaches that integrate feminist theories, media studies, sociology of education and political sociology. We particularly encourage proposals that adopt an intersectional perspective and engage with different socio-cultural contexts, including comparative analyses. By intertwining gender, educational processes and democratic practices, the panel aims to highlight how societies can foster the formation of critical, informed and gender-sensitive citizens who are capable of nurturing democracy in its everyday dimension.