TORONTO, September 18, 1997 -- From September 26 to 28, international scholars will gather at York University for a conference entitled Mothers and Daughters: Moving into the Next Millenium, which will examine the complex and profound relationship between mothers and their daughters.

The mother-daughter relationship raises myriad questions: What is the impact of interracial marriage on the mother-daughter relationship? How does popular culture portray mothers and daughters? Why does society blame mothers for their children's shortcomings? How has the role of the mother changed throughout history? How does the mother-daughter relationship differ across cultures?

Through presentations by more than 250 participants from as far afield as Romania, Finland and the United Kingdom, Mothers and Daughters: Moving into the Next Millenium will offer answers to these and many more questions. The three-day conference features keynote sessions that deal with the impact of feminism on the mother-daughter relationship, the role of race, class and sexuality in motherhood, and the representation of motherhood in popular culture and literature.

"The range of topics we are covering in this conference is astounding," said conference coordinator Andrea O'Reilly, who teaches women's studies at York University. "Along with sessions about infertility, lesbian mothers, caring for an elderly mother, and foster mothers, we're also hosting a session for and about young girls. The session, called "Young Girls Speak Out!" was organized by an 11-year old girl, and will focus on the challenges faced by our next generation of mothers and daughters."

Another session will deal with mother/daughter pairs in contemporary films such as Margaret's Museum, while some real-life mother/daughter teams are among the conference participants.

Mothers and Daughters: Moving into the Next Millenium is the first of what will be annual conferences at York, focusing each year on different aspects of mothering. "Next year we will examine a less-researched, but equally fascinating aspect of mothering: the relationship between mothers and their sons," said O'Reilly.

Second Story Press will be publishing a book based on the papers given at this year's conference. Mothers and Daughters -- the book -- will be released next year through Second Story Press' Women's Issues Publishing Program.

The conference was organized by York University's Centre for Feminist Research. In conjunction with the School of Women's Studies at York University, the Centre brings together faculty and students for collaborative research on issues such as work, education, violence, family relationships, and equity and human rights. Funding for Mothers and Daughters: Moving into the Next Millenium was provided in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

"This conference reinforces the leadership role that both York University and the Centre for Feminist Research are taking in facilitating socially relevant research and academic discussion," said Nancy Mandell, the Centre's director. "The issues to be raised at this conference will have real meaning, not just for researchers, but for social-policy makers, community workers, activists, and, most importantly, mothers and daughters."

Media and conference registration begins at 2 p.m. Sept. 26, in York's Vari Hall Rotunda. The first session starts at 4 p.m. Saturday's schedule includes a dinner and one-woman cabaret comedy show in the evening. For a detailed schedule, please call the contact names listed below.

For more information, please call:

Andrea O'Reilly
Conference Coordinator
York Center for Feminist Research
(416) 736-5915
email: cfr@yorku.ca

Sine MacKinnon
Senior Advisor for Media Relations
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22087
email: sinem@yorku.ca

Alison Masemann
Media Relations Officer
(416) 736-2100, ext. 22086
email: masemann@yorku.ca
YU/078/97

The following is a small sample of the lecture titles being presented at Mothers and Daughters: Moving into the Next Millenium: