Annual Symposium

Each March, the WGSS program celebrates Women’s History Month with a day-long symposium focusing on one central theme and featuring panels of scholars, activists, and journalists in dialogue with one another and their audience. This innovative symposium is open to Northeastern faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, staff, and interested parties from outside the university. Not a typical academic conference, the symposium features lively, accessible discussions of topics relevant to a broad audience. To view more information about past symposia, please click here.
The eleventh annual Women’s History Month Symposium was held on Friday, March 21, 2025 in the Cabral Center at the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute. “Pictures, Words, and Lies: Representing Gender & Race in the News Media” focused on the news media in its broadest sense and how it reports on gender, race, and marginalized identities. In curated conversations, panelists examined how progressive social movements are (mis)represented in mainstream media and news, but also how we attempt to challenge those narrow and false depictions. To view more about the panels, panelists, and schedule for the day, visit the event page.
The 2026 Symposium theme will be announced soon. Watch this space for details!