Indelible (Eng) / Indelebile (It) – The representation of (in)visible violence against women and their resistance

This research cluster analysed how the arts can make visible the often invisible and yet indelible acts of violence perpetrated against women every day and, by linking them, demonstrate just how necessary it is to break this chain. Visual and performing arts are instrumental in exposing the complexity of the numerous forms that violence against women and girls can take in the contemporary world, as well as exploring new and old forms of resistance. The cluster's initiatives strived to contribute to the ‘glocal’ conversation on the topic and, at the same time, raise awareness of the global extent of the problem and the ways in which both such violence and resistance to it are represented in the visual and performing arts in Italy.

With the visual and performing arts as the research group’s focus, researchers, artists and performers were welcomed who could stimulate debate and developments in public opinion around violence against women. In 2019 the cluster organized an eponymous interdisciplinary international conference-cum-mini Italian theatre festival at the University of Flinders centred on the #MeToo movement. This was followed by 'Resisting Violence' - a Seminar on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women held at the University of Sydney in 2020. The cluster's research outcomes were published in the Asia Pacific region, in Europe, and in North America and include three special issues of academic journals, and two books.