Prof. Magnús Þorkell Bernharðsson, Williams College, USA, is the fifth lecturer in the RIKK – Institute for Gender, Equality and Difference & UNU-GEST – United Nations University Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme – 2018 spring term lecture series. His lecture is titled: “Where is the line? Egyptian Women and the Arab Spring”, and will take place on Thursday, 8 of March, from 12.00-13.00, in the National Museum of Iceland lecture hall.

In his talk, Dr. Bernharðsson will consider the history of the women’s rights movement in Egypt starting with the foundational work of Huda Shaarawi and ending with the diverse feminist movements in Egypt today. What has worked and what battles have been won and where have the major setback been? What are some of the major issues Egyptian women have been fighting for? And how likely is it that their situation will improve now in post-Arab Spring Egypt?

Dr. Magnús Þorkell Bernharðsson is Brown Professor of History and Faculty Affiliate in Arabic Studies, Leadership Studies and Religion at Williams College, USA. His research is concerned with modern Iraqi history, U.S.-Iraqi relations 1900-2000, archaeology, and nationalism in the modern Middle East. He is the author of several books and edited volumes including Reclaiming a Plundered Past. Archaeology and Nation Building in Modern Iraq (Texas, 2005) and Mið-Austurlönd – fortíð, nútíð og framtíð (2018).

The RIKK/UNU-GEST lecture series at the spring term 2018 are dedicated to the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human rights, but year 2018 marks its 70^th anniversary. The declaration has emphasis on gender equality and women’s rights. The objective with the lecture series is to raise awareness of the value that human rights offer as a tool to tackle persistent gender disparities and address factors that perpetuate gender discrimination and inequality. The RIKK & UNU-GEST lecture series in the spring semester 2018 is held in collaboration with The National Museum of Iceland.

The lecture is in English, open to everyone and admission is free.

The event is on Facebook!