Zorana Antonijevic, Slavica Stanojlovic and Snezana Jakovljevic
Our aim is to explore the transformative power of memory and storytelling in feminist activism, focusing on the “Our Stories” project supported by the Western Balkans Fund. This project brought together women activists from Albania, Kosovo, and Serbia, documenting their personal and collective memories through the Collective Memory Work (CMW) method. The women participating in this project represent diverse feminist trajectories, ranging from struggles against patriarchy and gender-based violence to their contributions to broader social and political change. By reflecting on how memories of personal rebellion, activism, and resistance to oppressive systems shape their identities, the panel will discuss how the CMW method can foster empowerment, solidarity, and resistance across generations. It contributes to an in-depth exploration of the intersection between personal memory, feminist resistance, and the peaceful transformation of the Western Balkans.
Some potential questions for discussion:
- How can the act of remembering and sharing personal narratives empower feminist activists?
- How do the experiences of women activists from Albania, Kosovo, and Serbia resonate with each other despite differences in culture, history, and language?
- What can these shared memories teach us about building cross-border solidarity in feminist movements?
- How can sharing memories create new forms of resistance and activism that challenge both personal and institutionalized gender inequality?
Zorana Antonijević received her Ph.D degree in Gender Studies at the Centre for Gender Studies, University of Novi Sad. At the core of her academic and professional interests are gendered institutions, gender mainstreaming in public policies, critical studies on men and masculinities and their application to post-conflict, transitional context of Europeanization in the Western Balkans. During 15 years of being a feminist Zorana has been involved in drafting and analysing some of the most important policies and legislation of gender equality in Serbia. She works as gender equality consultant for various international organizations. She is a member of the Executive Board of the Belgrade Center for Security Policy and guest lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade. During her doctoral research in Sweden in 2016, Professor Jeff Hearn has introduced her to collective memory work. In 2017, she initiated application of CMW with a group of female friends, enthusiasts and feminist-activists. It has been, so far, a source of fun, more profound friendship and feminist engagement to understand better the present and the past.