CfP/CfA: Symposium on Feminism and Intersectionality in Okinawa (FIO) 2025

FIO aims to create a platform for meaningful exchange between students, academics, artists, and community members from Okinawa. Grounded in diversity, equity, and inclusion, FIO seeks to foster communication frameworks that encourage engagement, innovation, and overall well-being across disciplines and communities. This unique gathering highlights emerging local and transoceanic networks shaped by Okinawan ways of knowing, relationships, and connections to the islands and oceans.

The program will feature four plenary dialogues with transoceanic voices alongside interactive workshops on Ryukyuan languages, care, justice, identity, and community resilience. Presentations and posters will foster undergraduate research, emerging and ongoing academic inquiries, and community-based initiatives vital to sustaining our lives and collective well-being.

FIO invites participants to engage with intersectional approaches to social justice, identity, and resilience from Okinawa to the world.

https://www.oist.jp/club/intersectional-feminists#toc6

Date: July 10-12, 2025 
Location: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa
Language: The symposium will be conducted primarily in English, with additional presentations in Ryukyuan and Japanese with Japanese interpretation provided for the plenary sessions.
Structure: FIO will have three components, including plenary dialogues, workshops, and presentation sessions.  
Format: The symposium will be held primarily in-person, with plenary sessions in a hybrid format. Depending on demand and availability, we may consider additional options for hybrid presentations.

Who can register: Undergraduate and graduate students, academics, artists, and community members.
Registration fee: No registration fee required.

Four Plenary dialogues: The plenary session will feature talks by two invited Okinawan speakers, followed by a moderated discussion with participants (Q&A). Japanese interpretation will be provided.

Workshops: Workshops will consist of an interactive session led by two or three invited speakers with a limited number of participants.

Presentations: Registered participants may present their work as a talk (10min +3 min of Q&A) or a poster presentation (A0 portrait or smaller). Please submit an abstract (300-400 words) in English using the registration link below. Presentations may be delivered in Ryukyuan, Japanese, or English; however, due to limited resources and time constraints, we are unable to guarantee translation services. We will make every effort to group presentations by language. To support broader accessibility and inclusivity, we kindly ask all presenters to include English, at least partially, in their posters and presentation slides, regardless of the primary language used. We will share Zoom links for the plenary dialogues and talks. Participation in the workshops and poster sessions will be in-person only (certificates will be available upon request). Additional information will be sent to the registered participants.

Types of presentations:

• Academic research on gender, sexuality, indigeneity, and intersectional issues related to race, nation, class, language, ethnicity, ability, education, age, etc.
• Artistic works reflecting feminist or intersectional perspectives, including visual arts, performances, and multimedia projects.
• Community-based projects focused on social justice and equality in Okinawa and beyond.
• Research in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) that is communicated in clear and inclusive ways to engage diverse audiences and community members, and that reflects on how the work contributes to the symposium’s aim of cultivating communication frameworks that foster engagement, innovation, and overall well-being in Okinawa.
• Submission Deadline: June 25 or until the presentation spots are filled. Notification of acceptance will be sent within one week of the abstract submission.

Anti-Harassment Policy: The symposium is committed to providing all participants a safe and inclusive environment. Harassment of any kind, including but not limited to discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality, nationality, religion, or political affiliation, the use of strong language, and any form of harmful or offensive behavior, will not be tolerated. Participants engaging in such behavior may be asked to leave the event. Additional guidelines are in the IF OIST Bylaws and OIST anti-harassment policies.

Organization and support (details to be updated):

The symposium is organized by Ryudai Rainbow (University of the Ryukyus) and Intersectional Feminists of OIST

Committee: Duda (she/they), Hina, Rui, Hiromi, Tanomi Yamamura (he/him), Ayse, Paulette, Tara, Lilly, Teresa, Monika, Vero, Lorena, Milena, Jan, Machi (he/they), Irene, Christian.

Advisor: Professor Ayano Ginoza (University of the Ryukyus).

Interpreters and translators: Mari Takenouchi, Wakeda Maeda, and Jun Tau.

Support: Human Rights Center and Harassment Counseling and Support Center at the University of the Ryukyus

Sponsor: OIST C-Hub