Introduction

Abstract

The interview and seven articles in this special issue of Contemporary Women’s Writing have been gathered here by the guest editors as a result of the fifth biennial Contemporary Women’s Writing Association conference held in Melbourne, Australia, 3–5 July 2014. 1 The event, themed “Environments,” showcased scholarly papers, creative presentations, discussion panels, and poetic performances by scholars and writers from across the globe. As the first CWWA conference to be held in Australia – indeed, in the Southern Hemisphere – many participants embarked on a significant quest across oceans to visit the country for the first time, in many cases exchanging summer for Melbourne’s chilly winter backdrop. This was a fitting introduction, perhaps, to a conference set on an exchange of ideas on women’s writing and diverse “environments.” The theme arose from a range of concerns that seemed prominent in early discussions among the organizing committee for the conference. 2 On a global scale, the political and social conscience was – and still is – focused on a growing concern for our surrounds, as we face the devastating effects of climate change, species extinction, and other ecological and environmental crises. On a local (Australian) level, we were feeling the heat of political infighting over the Carbon Tax, an initiative that formed part of the Clean Energy Plan, aimed in particular at encouraging large Australian companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. The tax, introduced by Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard (Labor Party), in July 2012, was unfortunately scrapped by the incoming Liberal government, led by Tony Abbott, in July 2013. Gillard herself, in her short run as Prime Minister, was continually goaded by the opposition with sexist comments; she retaliated with her infamous misogyny speech in late 2012 – a speech that rallied a charge against those who continue to challenge women’s equal rights to men in social and political spheres and question a woman’s ability to perform as well as the opposite sex in positions of power.