Conference Agenda

The present study aims to explore liberatory feminist practices adopted by women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip within a context of colonial oppression such as that of Palestine. The Israeli occupation is a continuum of coercion and violence that causes physical, mental and social injury and harm. As with all colonial projects, it is rooted in nationalism, white supremacy, religion, and hetero-patriarchy, thereby forging a deep-seated connection between colonial violence and racial and gender oppression. Despite the importance of understanding the interrelated oppressions that shape their lives, contributions in psychology have largely neglected their diverse feminist practices and resistance strategies. Their experiences are often reduced to passive categories and interpretations of internal patriarchy. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to deconstruct these dominant, Anglo-Eurocentric versions that still prevail and explored the meanings, signifiers, and nuances of feminist practices in Palestine. We conducted research conversations (n=30) with feminist activists and women engaged in social justice and women's rights to explore their experiences of resistance and survival amidst ongoing colozination. We sought to explore whether and to what extent being part of the feminist movement provided strength and resources in collectively building paths towards critical consciousness, liberation, and transformation.

In my paper I seek to merge and conclude two parallel qualitative studies about birthgiving women’s experiences. I propose phenomenological and psychoanalitical interpretations of bodily and symbolic experiences of the childbirth process, from the woman’s point of view. Childbirth is one of the most intensive experiences for both mother and child. Deep and raw experience of the feminine, the body, the self or intimacy and taboos. It can be interpreted as a possible initiation, a healing and self-healing process also. Our investigations revealed that material and spiritual issues are both present themselves in the scene of birthgiving.

Findings suggest that the focus of childbirth should not be on alleviating pain, but on strengthening mothers so that they can successfully cope with pain and use it for their own process (Barcsák, Berán, Székely, 2023).

Other results highlight that the childbirth experience is inseparable from spiritual experiences (e.g. faith, search for meaning, connection, and self-transcendence). (Tamási, Urbán, Székely, 2023)

“For women, to give birth and be born, to be mothers and daughters, they need first and foremost their own bodies. … Creation and creativity are not representations of conception, but of the archaic events of childbirth and being born.” (Zsélyi, 2007)

The topic of women living in housing poverty is rarely involved in psychological research. We explore the way relationship and sexual expectations may be connected to daily struggles of precarious housing and motherhood.

In Temporary Homes of Families, parents, their children, and possibly other family members receive temporary (a few months long) placement together. Many of these women are leaving abusive relationships while other residents are couples facing sudden homelessness together. Between Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, we organized a weekly women’s group at a Temporary Home of Families in Budapest, Hungary. 3-4 women attended most sessions, with a total of 10 adult woman participants involved. Topics included gender roles, romantic relationships, and sexual relationships; participants had the opportunity to influence the choice of topics. Our data set includes 5 transcripts of 40-65 minutes long group discussion recordings, complemented by field notes and visual materials created during group discussions. We use Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA; Braun and Clarke, 2006) to gain insight on relationship and sexual expectations discussed by participants. Based on preliminary findings, we expect that feelings of stress and vulnerability induced by housing poverty and institutional circumstances will play a formative role in how participants think about relationships.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by a complex aetiology and a group of core symptoms: hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Literature has shown that ADHD affects 3–7% of children worldwide and that its symptoms can persist into adolescence and adulthood. However, an overview of the literature shows that a significant portion of research on ADHD has been restricted to males and that females with ADHD have very little representation. The limited literature on ADHD in females suggests that they experience difficulties in many areas of life, including the academic domain. This study explores how Maltese women with ADHD construct the self as students within the school system. The qualitative research method Memory-Work was used to explore the student recollections of five Maltese women with ADHD aged between twenty-three and thirty-five. The data collection and analyses occurred within a group setting. This research illustrates the significant role of student-teacher relationships in constructing women's selves as students. It broadens the understanding of how interactions, practices, and discourses of Maltese schooling shape the self of female students with ADHD. This study also strengthens the evidence regarding training needs for educational psychologists on gender-specific manifestations of ADHD.