Andria Charilaou
Urban Transformation and Sustainability
Bodies of Antithesis: Gender power relations in conflict and militarized environments
In conflict and militarised environments, such as Cyprus, gender power relations are deeply ingrained and significantly impact civilians, particularly women. The project delves into the problem of the normalised experiences of living with militarism, with an emphasis on the fixed gender roles it perpetuates, utilising space as an instrument.
Through spatial analysis and visual ethnography, I investigate the institutional relationship between the military and women in Cyprus during the period of ‘conflict in limbo’ and unveil the multifaceted gender roles. By using visual methods and personal perspectives, I shed light on women's experiences and challenge the institutional relationship between the two groups, showing how these roles affect everyday life and individual performances and shape space.
The proposed solution seeks to empower individuals, especially women, by revealing the impact of space on gender performative roles. Despite acknowledging limitations, it contributes to efforts to disrupt oppressive structures and calls for further investigation into dismantling gender hierarchies in conflict environments.