The concept of emotional capitalism—a dual process in which emotional and economic systems influence each other, particularly within gendered labour and the IT industry—plays a significant role here. Emotional capital is often built upon gendered expectations, rendering emotions a site of exploitation and productivity, and making technologies tools for perpetuating gendered inequality and injustice.
Exploring these complex dynamics—between the emancipatory potential and the exploitation of technologies—the conference will investigate how emotions, capital, and gender interact within technological contexts. It will also examine feminist theories that frame emotions as tools for resistance and collective agency. Following Judy Wajcman’s perspective, we view technology as both a cause and a consequence of gender relationships.
We invite scholars from different fields and disciplines (gender studies, sociology, history, anthropology, cultural studies, law, media studies, art and others) with various theoretical perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches to reflect on the following topics:
- emotion as an epistemic resource,
- emotion as cultural discourses on power,
- emotion as social labour,
- gendering emotions
- de/activation of solidarity through technology
- emotional geographies,
- emotional communities
- motional site of science and technology
- connections between technology capital and gender
- technology, gender and resistance
- information, emotional, labour exploitation and gender
Papers focusing on technologies and the IT sector are particularly welcomed.
The conference is organised by the Center for Gender Studies at the European Humanities University in the framework of the “Women in Tech” project. This infrastructural educational and research project aims to support women in IT, stimulate research at the intersection of technology and feminism, and promote gender equality in high technology. The project was launched by the EHU Center for Gender Studies and is funded by the European Union.
Submission of abstracts:
To participate in the сonference, please submit your proposal via wint.conference2025@gmail.com and put “Feeling Machines: Gender, Technologies, and Capitals” in the subject line. The proposal must include a title, an abstract (300 words), and a short bio (max. 150 words) with contact details as one file.
Dates and deadlines:
Deadline for submission of abstracts – February 1st, 2025.
Authors of abstracts will be notified about selection by February 20th, 2025.
Conference registration:
There will be no conference fees. The participants cover their expenses for travel and accommodation in Vilnius. However, the organisers can provide financial support: travel to and from Vilnius (up to 300 Euro) and offer hotel accommodation in Vilnius
Conference language: English.
Conference format: hybrid (offline and online).
Conference Organizing Committee:
Tania Arcimovich (Erfurt University, Germany)
Almira Ousmanova (European Humanities University, Lithuania)
Olga Plakhotnik (Universität Greifswald)
Antonina Stebur (Women in Tech program, EHU , Universität der Künste Berlin.)
Center for Gender Studies,
European Humanities University, Vilnius, Lithuania
May 14-15, 2025
Deadline for submission of abstracts – February 1st, 2025.
wint.conference2025@gmail.com