Embedded Files
May was a very busy month, and its highlight was the Numbers and Narratives Research Symposium, held at Senate House Library in London. Timed to coincide with International Women in Mathematics Day—celebrated globally on May 12 in honour of Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to receive the Fields Medal—the symposium brought together scholars, educators, and activists for a day of focused discussion on feminist approaches to mathematics.
Through keynote talks, panel exchanges, and lively conversations, the event explored how gender, power, and representation shape access to and participation in mathematics—past and present. Speakers challenged dominant narratives by recovering overlooked contributions, questioning the supposed neutrality of mathematical knowledge, and proposing new ways to think about inclusion, subjectivity, and equity in the field.
Themes ranged from feminist epistemologies and intersectionality to archival gaps, institutional exclusions, and the emotional and embodied dimensions of doing mathematics. The symposium offered not only a critique of established histories but also a call to imagine more inclusive and just mathematical futures.
It was a rich and thought-provoking day, marking a vital step in rethinking mathematical culture through feminist critique and collaborative reflection. You can read more about its rich programme and proceedings here.
Two more open access publications from the project also came out in May:
Two more open access publications from the project also came out in May:
The mechanics of the social: Sophie Germain’s adventures in microsociology’ European Journal of Cultural and Political Sociology 12. 1 (2025): 81–98, https://doi.org/10.1162/ecps_a_00005
In this article I highlight Germain's engagement with early sociological concepts, particularly her ideas on 'social tendencies' and the dynamics of social structures. By examining Germain's unpublished manuscripts and correspondence, the article reveals how Germain's analytical approach to mathematics informed her understanding of social phenomena, positioning her as a precursor to modern microsociological thought. This interdisciplinary exploration not only sheds light on Germain's multifaceted intellect but also invites contemporary scholars to reconsider the historical intersections between mathematics and the social sciences.
An Award Letter Too Late to Receive: Considering Sophie Germain’s Mathematical Correspondence. Jounal of Epistolary Studies, Vol. 4, No.1 (2025): 32-49. Proceedings of the Online Symposium entitled 'Epistolary Times: Time in Letters', organized by The Epistolary Research Network (TERN), October 6-7, 2023.
Why did Sophie Germain, the first woman to win the Grand Prix de Mathématiques, miss the award ceremony? A lost letter is only part of the story. In this paper, I delve into the intriguing circumstances surrounding Sophie Germain's absence from the 1816 award ceremony where she was to receive the Grand Prix de Mathématiques from the Paris Academy of Sciences. While a delayed invitation is often cited as the reason, I explore deeper structural and societal factors that may have contributed to Germain's decision not to attend.
Google Sites
Report abuse