The Dangerous Women Project

About the project

The Dangerous Women Project aimed to publish 365 responses to the question ‘What does it mean to be a dangerous woman?’ linking International Women’s Day 2016 with International Women’s Day 2017. Please visit the project’s website here for more information, to read the posts and to find out how you can participate. The project was created and managed by Dr Peta Freestone, Professor Jo Shaw and Christina Neuwirth, with additional input from Ognjenka Manojlovic.

Background

The idea that women are dangerous individually or collectively permeates many historical periods, cultures and areas of contemporary life (despite, and in some instances in response to, explicitly feminist movements).

We may take lightly the label attached by mainstream media outlets to women such as Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty, or Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as being ‘the most dangerous woman in the UK’. But behind this label lies a serious set of questions about the dynamics, conflicts, identities and power relations with which women live today.

All submissions to the DWP were assessed for suitability and relevance by the IASH Director and staff, with guidance from a wider Consultation Group from across the University of Edinburgh. The Consultation Group membership comprises:

  • Mary Bownes, Professor Emerita of Development Biology and Vice-Principal Community Development
  • Suzanne Ewing, Senior Lecturer in Architectural Design and Theory
  • Penny Fielding, Grierson Chair of English Literature
  • Lesley McAra, Chair of Penology and Assistant Principal Community Relations
  • Fiona Mackay, Professor of Politics and Dean & Head of School of Social and Political Sciences
  • Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Inter-Religious Studies and Assistant Principal Religion and Society