Folklore & Women Workshop: The power of reclaiming subversive stories [IRE]

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From ancient legends to modern screen heroines, figures like Athena, Joan of Arc, Mulan, and Xena have long sparked our imagination. But what do these women warriors really tell us about power, gender, and resistance?

Drawing from women’s and gender studies, folklore, fairy tale studies, and fandom studies, Dr Elena Emma Sottilotta explores how both real and fictional heroines become symbols of agency and transformation. These boundary-breaking figures challenge traditional gender roles and continue to inspire across time and media. Participants will explore key folkloric texts and their modern adaptations through hands-on activities and discussions. A special focus will be given to Fantaghirò – a rebellious fairytale heroine who has been reimagined in both literature and a popular 1990s TV series. Her journey offers a powerful lens for examining feminist reinterpretations of heroism and identity.

Workshop Highlights:

• Explore how folklore has challenged ideas about gender, power and identity
• Analyse iconic women warriors across history and pop culture
• Trace the story of Fantaghirò and what she reveals about feminist storytelling
• Engage in interactive activities and group discussions

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About your host:

Dr Elena Emma Sottilotta is a Research Fellow at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge, and author of Seekers of Wonder: Women Writing Folk and Fairy Tales in Nineteenth-Century Italy and Ireland. Her research focuses on women’s writing, folklore, and fairy-tale studies, with publications on both historical and contemporary reimaginings of fairy tales. A Fulbright alumna, she holds a PhD from Cambridge and has held visiting positions at Brown University and the Ragusa Foundation in New York. She founded the Cambridge Research Network for Fairy-Tale Studies and collaborates with several international projects, including the European Fairy Tale Route and the International Fairy-Tale Filmography. She has received many competitive scholarships, prizes and awards, including the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant, the Women’s Studies Caucus Award (American Association for Italian Studies) and the Estella Canziani Postgraduate Bursary for Research (Folklore Society in London).

This workshop is 16+

Testimonials from our guests

⭐ Truly riveting talks, always enjoy these - a great way to spend an evening with some pals. Already looking forward to the next one. - Alexander P

⭐ Expertly run, talks are always super informative and a lot of fun! Couldn’t recommend these enough! 5 star. - Owen S

⭐ Been to a few talks and all have been super interesting. An enjoyable evening to go to either alone or with friends. The talks make for stimulating conversation. Highly recommend! - Daisy J