Chinese Society for Women’s Studies, Inc.
Newsletter
Number 3 March 22, 2001
(http://www.csws.org)
Table of Contents
- Yunnan Pilot Training Successful
- CSWS On-Line Forum Held
- Guangxi Hands-on Training Project Underway
- News from the Board
- News from CSWS Members
- Welcome New Members
- Call for Papers (forwarded)
- Special Feature of Wu XU and Yuanxi MA
- CSWS Membership Renewal
I. Yunnan Pilot Training Successful
Sponsored by the Ford Foundation, a four-day joint pilot training on methodology of gender and development by the CSWS and The Yunnan GAD group was held in Kunming in December of 2000. The project was coordinated by Zongmin LI. There were 35 participants from four NGOs: CSWS, GAD in Kunming, Shanxi Research Institute of Women’s Studies, Marriage and the Family, and the Center for Women and Family Studies, and Zhejiang Academy of Social Sciences. The workshop was to build the capacity of researchers and activists who had been involved in projects of gender and development and enhance the impacts that they have through their project activities. It was also hoped to use the training to develop case studies on gender and development for use in other training programs and for development of women’s studies curricula. The workshop covered four major topics (1) oral interview methods and qualitative data analysis, (2) gender analysis in poverty alleviation projects, (3) utilizing the Internet for gender analysis, and (4) preparation of project proposals.
The pilot workshop was an innovation for both CSWS and GAD in that some new topics were introduced. They were the application of gender analysis in a project cycle, utilizing the Internet for gender and development projects, and preparation of project proposals in the light of the various donors’ missions and focus areas and NGO interests. The project ended with much success; it not only accomplished the planned tasks but also explored more areas and issues, including management of NGOs and CSWS members’ own fieldwork experience. Most participants enjoyed getting to know more information about other NGOs and international donors. They particularly enjoyed participating in the preparation of proposals in the workshop, and presenting them to donors in a role-playing session. An overwhelming majority of the participants felt that they understood much better the significance and methods of oral interviews, the process and requirements of proposal preparation, the scopes of proposal budgets, and data analysis. The participants especially appreciated the attitude of hard work and exchanges of experience by CSWS’ members as equals with participants, and the opportunities to contact old friends and meet new friends, especially knowing more about the NGOs that introduced themselves in the workshop.
The project accomplished the first step toward establishing a long-term project for methodology training in gender analysis and development in China. It also provided an opportunity for CSWS participants to learn from their Chinese colleagues about their rich fieldwork experience and enhanced the skills of participants from both groups. The GAD group and Xiaoxian GAO’s group demonstrated their strong capacity in method training, effectiveness in running the workshop, and excellent skills in interviewing. (report by Zongmin LI, email: Libruce1060@aol.com)
II. CSWS On-Line Forum Held
Led by Ping-Chun HSIUNG, Co-Chair of CSWS, CSWS held the on-line forum in February of 2001 to gather new ideas of the future directions of CSWS development from all the members of the Society. The purpose was to collectively explore new territory and models, as well as alternative ways of engagement. In her letter to the members on behalf of the CSWS board, HSIUNG asked specific questions as to whether the Society continue to be the bridge and information carrier, types of collaboration that the Society may further explore and ways in which to materialize new initiatives, as well as other suggestions for the improvement of CSWS operation.
Despite its low participation rate, members who participated in the forum raised very good suggestions. Min JI advised the board to (1) raise more funds for CSWS activities and collaborative projects, (2) set up on-line Gallery of photo album of major CSWS leaders and events to increase the publicity of CSWS and closeness of the board and its members, (3) develop a mechanism to enhance communication and a wider participation of CSWS members.
Zheng WANG made an in-progress report to all the members about the on-going project on women and gender studies curriculum development in China in a hope to mobilize more members to be involved in the project. During the first year of this five-year project funded
by the Ford Foundation (FF), Zheng WANG and associates completed the following work: workshops and seminars for training university faculty and graduate students; translating material for workshop reading as well as for future classroom teaching; compiling teaching material written by Chinese scholars; creating a scholarship of gender studies for young faculty and graduate students in China; and organizing short term study in women's studies programs abroad for faculty and graduate students. What they need now is to prepare a proposal and budget for the remaining three years. Wang called on ideas, initiatives, proposals to be incorporated into the grand proposal to the FF for the next three years. Please contact Zheng WANG (wangzh4@leland.stanford.edu) if you are interested in this project.
III. Guangxi Hands-on Training Project Underway
CSWS has received from the Ford Foundation another grant ($33,000) in collaboration with Guanxi Women’s Federation for a pilot two-way hands-on training project in Guangxi Province, China. The training will take place in a research setting in which researchers from Guanxi Women’s Federation and from overseas will learn from one another in the areas of theory, methods, and experience with local issues by jointly conducting a research project. The research theme focuses on the trend of "feminization of agriculture" in the rural area of Guangxi Province and its impact on female farmers’ status and well-being. The main purpose of the training project is four fold: to gain a better understanding of the trend of "feminization of agriculture" which bears much implication for women’s status and gender equality issues, to improve research skills of international and local researchers through collaboration in field work, to sensitize policy makers to gender issues by disseminating research results and making suggestions, and finally to provide an experiment for CSWS future large-scale training projects. The project will be completed in three phases: evaluation of Guangxi government-sponsored small-financing program in Phase one, household interviews and survey on the well-being female farmers as well as their families in Phase two, and workshop and meetings including farmers, loan officers, researchers and policy makers in Phase three. The length of the project runs from April, 2001 to February, 2002. Yiching SONG will be the leader of the project and Jiping ZUO, the CSWS coordinator. Other members who have made significant contributions to the development of the proposal are Wu XU, Ping-Chun HSIUNG, Yuanxi MA, Zongmin LI, Yanmei WEI, and Hui LI. For more information on the project, please contact Jiping ZUO (soczuo@stcloudstate.edu).
IV. News from the Board
1. Guidelines for CSWS proposal development being discussed within the board
In recent months, it has come to our attention that various members have been rather active in thinking about or/and planning to develop projects that involves multiple partners in China. While this is certainly a very good development in the Society, it becomes apparent that better coordination within the Society is necessary. The board is currently discussing/developing a set of general guidelines with the following objectives: 1) to allow individual member knowing in advance what to expect when thinking about, or planning to develop, a CSWS project. A mechanism of such procedure should be set up internally to make one's attempt/plan known to others so that interested members can be called upon early on. It should facilitate more effective communication with funding agency, and avoid potential conflict when it comes to approaching Ford or other agency for funding, 2) to make the Society and its respective project accountable to its members, Chinese collaborator, and funding agency. More specifically, for example, we need to make sure that opportunity to participate in any respective project is openly announced to all members, equal partnership is established with CSWS' Chinese collaborator, and, that the project is managed properly in terms of account and expenditure.
The board would work hard to ensure that the guidelines do not in effect discourage individual members to be proactive. Once the deliberation is completed, the guidelines will be published in newsletter and put on the Society’s Web for future reference. They are of course subject to revision as we move along. All members are welcome to give your input to the development of the guidelines. Please contact Ping-Chun HSIUNG or any board members if you intend to propose any projects or any have suggestions for the guidelines (prepared by Ping-Chun Hsiung, email: pchsiung@scar.utoronto.ca).
2. CSWS members to meet at AAS
Ping-Chun HSIUNG, Co-Chair of CSWS, Yuanxi MA and other CSWS members will be meeting at the AAS conference in Chicago from March 22 through March 24. They will discuss with Zheng WANG, Fanqing DU, Xingron ZHENG, and Jinling WANG for further collaboration on the second stage of the curriculum development project. They will also meet with the representative from the Luce Foundation to explore possible funding opportunities for future CSWS projects.
V. News from CSWS members
Following the very successful workshop held in Oxford University, June 1999, a book entitled " Chinese Women Organizing: Cadres, Feminists, Muslims, Queers" will be published by the Berg Publishers early next year (2002). The book is part of the Cross Cultural Perspectives on Women series at the Center of Cross-Cultural Research on Women, Oxford University. It is co-edited by Ping-Chun HSIUNG, Maria JASCHOK and Cecilia MILWERTZ. Among other thought provoking pieces, work of the Society’s members and partners in China is heavily covered in the manuscript. For example, ZHANG Naihua has a wonderful piece on the search of an authentic NGO, BAO Xiaolan with XU Wu provides reflective analysis to various projects and dialogue CSWS has carried out in China over the last ten years, JIN Yihong and LIU Bohong write about developments and challenges of the Women’s Federation, DU Fangqin examines the path of women’s studies in universities, and GAO Xiaoxian discusses strategies and space of popular women’s organizing in the 1980s and 1990s (submitted by Ping-Chun Hsiung).
VI. Welcome New Members
CSWS welcomes new member -- Dr. Nancy Tian, Senior Advisor/Capacity Building at CEDPA. Nancy participated in Yunan pilot methodology training workshop with Zongmin Li, Hui Li, Zheng Wang, and Ping-Chun Hsiung. Her main interest is Organizational Development related to Strategic Communication, Leadership, and Organizational Change. Her work at CEDPA is on Gender and on Empowerment of women. Her email: ntian@cedpa.org.
VII. Call for Papers (forwarded)
Professor Cecilia Menjívar is putting together a special issue on Gender, Family, Marriage and Inequality in developing nations for the Journal of Developing Societies. This broad topic allows potential authors to write interesting pieces on several important issues. She is looking for contributions that would cover Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean. The issue will consist of about 8 to 10 articles plus the introduction. This edition will include a conclusion and an author/subject index. This special issue will also be published in a book format, as part of the International Series published by Brill, The Netherlands. She would need the manuscript by December 2001.
If you are interested, please contact: Cecilia Menjívar, School of Justice Studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-0403, Phone: 480-965-7631, Fax: 480-965-9199, or e-mail to: menjivar@asu.edu (forwarded by Jiping Zuo)
VIII. Special Feature of Wu XU and Yuanxi MA
To pay a tribute to the previous boards and associates for their enormous contributions to the development of CSWS as a volunteer association, I invite Wu XU and Yanxi MA, Co-chairs of the previous CSWS board to write bout their work and the brief history of CSWS. Although no longer serving on the board, XU and MA are actively engaging in board activities to facilitate a smooth transition. To those of you who helped found CSWS, this piece of their writing may refresh your memory of the days on which you worked hard together for the good course that you have been sharing. To the new comers, this may provide you an opportunity to catch a glimpse of CSWS past accomplishments and its mission. (Jiping Zuo, newsletter editor).
We (Wu XU and Yuangxi MA), Hongjin KANG, Di BAI and Esther CHOW met each other at the National Women's Studies Association ("NWSA") meeting in 1989. At the 1990 NWSA meeting, this group joined the newly established CSWS when Zheng WANG participated in this group's panel. Since then, we two became active CSWS members and organized several CSWS projects.
XU served for CSWS as treasurer (1991-1994), Ford Foundation Grant
Coordinator (1993-1997), and Co-chair (1998-2000). Working with the CSWS boards and members, especially with Yuanxi MA, Xiaolan BAO, Zheng WANG, Yiching SONG, Ga WU, Zongmin LI, Lousia SCHEIN and CSWS partners in China, XU co-organized the 1993 Tianjin workshop, 1997 Nanjing workshop, 1998 Chengdu workshop, 1999 Beijing seminar, and the coming 2001 Guiyang conference. A total of 37 CSWS members/workshops have been involved in those activities. At the workshops, CSWS members interacted with and reached out to about 300-400 women scholars and feminist activists in China. XU directed and/or managed a total of $299,013 Ford Foundation's grants for our society and partners in China from 1993-2001. Seven books in Chinese were/will be published from these grants.
MA served as co-chair of CSWS for two terms (1994-1996 and 1998-2000). In the first term she collaborated with Sharon HOM, the other co-chair, and in the second term her other co-chair partner was Wu XU. During the terms, MA worked with other CSWS members, organizing or assisting in organizing a few major projects. Under the initiative of Marilyn YOUNG (a professor at New York University and a CSWS member), a panel of six CSWS members was organized and presented at the NGO Forum of the Fourth World Women's Conference in Beijing in 1995. In 1999, working together with Xueping ZHONG of Tufts University and Chris GILMARTIN of the Gender Studies Group of the Fairbank Center of Harvard University, Ma organized the Boston Conference in celebration of the 10th anniversary of CSWS. Ten panels were presented at the conference and there were about 80 participants with several coming from China. MA also organized and edited two translation collections for the Chengdu and Guiyang seminars respectively in collaboration with Hongjin KANG and Fangqin DU for the first collection and with Hongjin KANG for the second having the support of CSWS members working as translators. Since 1994, MA has organized CSWS panels or roundtable discussions and members meetings in conjunction at the annual conferences of the Association of Asian Studies. Trying to bring our members' initiative to the full and keeping them to work in unison, MA and some other members of the CSWS board have been in frequent contact with them.
During our Co-chair tenure (1998-2000), we two communicated weekly, sometimes even daily. We devoted our weekends, at least one day per week, to our society and women's activities in China. XU jokes about her time on CSWS work as her "hobby", and MA’s colleagues at her work place are saying the same: "women's studies is her 'hobby'." Communication, collective decision, and shared compassion for Chinese women lay down a basis for our harmonious working relationship and commitment to our society.
CSWS members live in various places, work in diverse fields and are of different nationalities, but the fate of Chinese women, including the fate of ourselves, binds us close to one another. Different ideas promote in-depth discussions and we complement each other. We have difficult times, but we always manage to find a way out. We stick together, which is a most important characteristic of CSWS to be forever cherished (written by Wu Xu and Yuanxi Ma).
IX. CSWS Membership Renewal
It is time to renew your membership dues for the year 2001, please fill out below the Membership Renewal Form and send it to the designated address on the form. Your financial contributions are very much appreciated!
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND RENEWAL FORM
Name (English and Chinese): _______________________Dues for: 2001
Referred By: ___________________________________
Annual membership dues are based on the following scale (circle one):
Annual Income ($)
Dues ($)
25,000 or under
15
25,000 - 45,000
30
45,000 or more
45
Institutional Member
65
Friend of the Society
_______
Donation
_______
Total
_______
Please make checks payable to CSWS. Members residing outside of the continental U.S. are assessed $25.00 dues irrespective of income. Women's groups with limited resources may apply for a waiver. Dues for members residing in mainland China are waived.
Address or Change of Address
Home: ___________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________Fax: ________________________
Institute/Office:_____________________________________________
Phone: _______________________Fax:________________________
E-mail: _________________________________________
Send mailings to (circle one): Home Address or Office Address
Status/Position or Change of Status (circle one)
Undergraduate | Master Program | Ph.D candicate | Professor | Instructor | Other Field: _____________________________________________________________________
Topics of Interest:_______________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________
Current Projects: ________________________________________________________
Please complete the form and mail with your dues of membership and/or renewal to:
Zongmin LI, 2907 Strathaven Place, Vienna, VA 22181 E-Mail: Libruce1060@aol.com
Tel: (703) 938-9663 _______________________________________________________________________
Editor: Jiping ZUO, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, St. Cloud State University, 720 4th Ave. S., St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498. Email: soczuo@stcloudstate.edu