Join us to hear Dr. Dustie Spencer guide us through how to use the tool of “framing” to bridge Democratic messaging to a larger and often sceptical constituency of voters.  Dr. Spencer has pointed out that “Republican framing is very efficient, but framing an issue doesn’t need to be a lie.”   It can be highlighting a less important aspect of an issue, as Republicans do with citing “national security” as threatened by a more humane policy that offers a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.    

 Dr. Spencer teaches Global Studies as a visiting Assistant Professor at Pusan National University, South Korea.  She earned her PhD from the University of Edinburgh where her studies focused on transnational activism and social movements framing. 

 During her talk, Dr. Spencer will offer an overview of how frames work to impact our opinions and thus voting habits.  She will suggest ways that Democrats can effectively listen to the narratives of those around us and structure an effective response.  Dr. Spencer notes that listening to the grievances of our friends and families can help us identify which frames they are using.  Once their frames of reference are clear, we can use them to connect on their key issues so Democratic policies can resonate with them. Spencer cites human rights as an issue where campaigns in this field have become excellent at stressing the universal human rights of all humans as an important and critical frame to the success of global social movements today. 

 After Dr. Spencer’s presentation, there will be time for questions, so do email you questions in advance to [email protected]

ATTENTION: EVENT DATE AND TIME CHANGE. EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON Wednesday, Jan 26 1:30pm EST/ 7:30 PM CET.

Books Abroad, The Global Women’s Caucus Feminist reading group, is excited to kick off the new year with an unforgettable read about the roots of misogyny, written by world renowned classicist Mary Beard.

You might wonder what a learned Cambridge don, professor of classics, scholar of Ancient Roman and Greek civilizations, and Britain’s best-known classicist can tell our modern “me-too” world about feminism, but the answer is, “a lot.”

Beard is an indomitable feminist, and her new best-selling book Women and Power, is an engaging and educated search back into antiquity to find the roots of misogyny.  To quote The Guardian, “[r]eading it in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, it seems utterly, dreadfully convincing. Mute women; brutal men; shame as a mechanism for control; androgyny and avoidance as a strategy for survival.”  But Beard doesn’t keep us in the past.  What she uncovers for us in the classics has bearing on our leaders today and sensitizes us to the world around us. And she even offers remedies.  It’s a slim volume (115 pages), but what Mary Beard writes is powerful and complex.

A manifesto that is erudite, powerful and complex… and more importantly, for non-classicists, delightfully readable.

Join us Tuesday Jan 26 at 1:30 PM ET, 7:30pm CET on Zoom.

RSVP for the Zoom meeting information.

Letter from the Editor

There is not a day that goes by that the Global Women’s Caucus is not aware of the immense threats to the rights of women and girls all over the world, however the ability to act on every development, or appreciate every advance, is difficult to do. Awareness doesn’t always involve an act, per se, but rather also a clear intention to be well informed. By gathering information from reputable sources and understanding how to express that information, we can all be warriors against mis and disinformation. As we celebrate holidays, once again in person with our loved ones, the GWC invites you to practice awareness as we both recognize the threats to women all over the world and discuss ways to alleviate these threats.

This GWC newsletter is taking on a different look to accommodate our growing caucus, but some elements still remain. Check out our Artist’s Corner and read ERA excerpts written by our members.

We hope you enjoy this edition, and we look forward to seeing you at our events!

Stayce Camparo, Communications Co-director, Global Women’s Caucus

Over 10,000 members and growing! Join us