The Institute for Women's Studies organized its Third Annual Conference on 16-17 March, 2011 at Birzeit University. The conference was entitled “Re-thinking Governance & Gender in an Age of Empire” and sought to explore issues of gender and governance in (post-) colonial contexts. The conference gathered two leading feminist thinkers and activists from India as well as a range of academics and activists from Palestine.

In the light of the monumental events currently taking place in the region, this year's conference topic was particularly timely and offered a platform for critical debate and exchange amongst students, academics, government representatives, NGOs and activists from all walks of life on gender and gender justice in local, regional and global contexts.
The main key notes that were presented and discussed during the two days conference were as follows:  “A Gendered Approach to Governance in Post-Colonial Contexts” (Dr. Aruna Rao, India). “Palestinian Governmentality: Between the Politics of Life & Death” (Dr. Rema Hammami, Palestine) and “The Intersection of Globalization, Religious Fundamentalism & Militaristic Nationalism & the Resurgence of Patriarchy, the Indian Experience” (Dr. Kalyani Menon-Sen, India).
In addition, other keynotes were presented by Palestinian speakers; each keynote speech was followed by a lively discussion. On the second day of the conference the participants had the chance to listen to “Testimonies of Survival & Resistance from Sheikh Jarrah”. Five women, representing the families whose houses were confiscated by Israeli settlers in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, presented their stories about their suffering and the resistance to the evacuation.