Fulbright East Asia Pacific Regional Travel Program Update – Dr Louise K. Davidson-Schmich and Dr. Katherine Crawford-Garrett

In Canberra, Dr. Louise K. Davidson-Schmich, a Fulbright New Zealand US Scholar based at the Victoria University of Wellington’s Political Science and International Relations Programme, travelled to the Australian National University’s School of Politics and International Relations on 5 May to give a talk entitled “Female Prime Ministers and the Substantive Representation of Women.”

The well-attended presentation, hosted by Professors Dr. Marian Sawer and Dr. Keith Dowding, focused on the ways in which female prime ministers – such as New Zealand’s Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark and Australia’s Julia Gillard – have represented the interests of their countrywomen.

Davidson-Schmich presented her research on a diverse array of female Prime Ministers including Germany’s Angela Merkel, Canada’s Kim Campbell, and New Zealand’s Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark. She discussed evidence that female Prime Ministers do substantively represent women, but that their definitions of “women’s interests” vary considerably and are based upon their own lived experiences. The talk was followed by a lively question and answer session in which ANU faculty, graduate students and visiting researchers responded to Davidson-Schmich’s arguments.

Women’s rights activists, arriving at the presentation directly from the Australian parliament where the 2017 budget’s impact on women was presented, also shared their experiences with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Following her presentation, Davidson-Schmich met with ANU students and faculty and a representative of the Australian Research Council.

More details of the talk and a photo can be found here: http://politicsir.cass.anu.edu.au/events/female-prime-ministers-and-substantive-representation-women

In Queensland, Dr. Katherine Crawford-Garrett, a Fulbright New Zealand US Scholar based at the University of Auckland, had the opportunity to deliver a research talk at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia on Monday, May 16, 2016 entitled “Living and Learning in the Here and Now: Critical Inquiry in Literacy Teacher Education.” The talk provided the groundwork for exploring future collaborations focused on the field of critical literacy between QUT and Dr. Crawford-Garrett’s home institution, the University of New Mexico.

For more information on Dr Crawford-Garrett’s Fulbright Scholarship, visit the University of New Mexico news page.

Dr. Katherine Crawford-Garrett, Fulbright New Zealand US Scholar

The Fulbright East Asia & Pacific Regional Travel Program, funded by the East Asia Pacific Fulbright Office at ECA, offers local institutions, posts and commissions the opportunity to benefit from the academic and professional expertise of Fulbright Senior Scholars based in another country within the East Asia & Pacific region (Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam). Visiting Fulbright Senior Scholars may wish to present lectures, present graduate or faculty seminars, undertake curriculum advising, public lectures and/or panel presentations.

If you wish to learn more about the Regional Travel Program or apply for a grant please click here.