WHO WE ARE: Writing Violence and Resistance Group (WVRG) is an academic writing collective comprised of radical feminist activist-scholars whose work examines issues of oppression, marginalization, and violence, alongside activism, mobilization, and negotiation to resist and challenge these harms. Central to our work inside and outside of academia is analysis that furthers an anti-oppressive politics and praxis that is attentive to race, class, gender, generation, and other dimensions of power and difference. We are committed to taking our work (and for many of us, basing our work) outside of the ivory tower through the use of arts, culture, and media as well as grassroots education, activism and organizing.
WVRG is currently comprised of five Black women doctoral students from various departments and universities throughout the U.S., but who all reside in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Since the group was founded in 2005, two members have finished their dissertations, received their PhDs, and have moved on to post-docs and professorships in other cities.
WHAT WE DO: WVRG members provide academic, social and political support for one another, primarily through meeting in person to read and discuss one another’s dissertation-related work as well as share good food and discussion. We also celebrate one another’s successes, encourage one another through challenges, and exchange opportunities for local social and political involvement, as well as avenues for scholarly collaboration.
At marathon writing group meetings (generally held monthly or every other month), we give each other written and verbal feedback on papers in progress or other types of work submitted to the group for review. Being artists of multiple genres, we also tend to get creative in what we present and how we offer feedback.
