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Biography

I completed my undergraduate degree in 2005, at the Université du Québec en Outaouais (Gatineau, Qc) with a major in political science and a minor in international development. While completing that degree, I namely worked for the Observatoire sur le développement régional et l'analyse différenciée selon les sexes (ORÉGAND), under the supervision of Professor Denyse Côté, which strengthened my interest in feminism and the status of women within Western societies.

In 2005, I started a master's degree in Sociology and Women's Studies at the University of Ottawa (Ontario, Canada), focusing on the reflections of teenage girls in Gatineau, Québec, on the teen magazines they read. My thesis, "Les magazines pour adolescentes: qu'en pensent les principales intéressées?" (Girl Teenzines: What Do Readers Think About Them?) was completed in January 2008, under the supervision of Professors Michèle Ollivier and Andrea Martinez.

During that period, I worked as a Teaching Assistant for various professors, helping in the teaching of the following courses: Women, Men and Society; Socio-anthropologie de la famille (Socio-Anthropology of the Family); and Sociologie et anthropologie du développement (Sociology and Anthropology of Development). I also had the opportunity to work as a Research Assistant for Professors Andrea Martinez and Stéphanie Gaudet.

I started my DPhil at the University of Sussex in October of 2007. I am focussing on 'ordinary' women blogging in Québec, specifically those writing 'diary' format blogs. I am particularly interested in women - not necessary self-defined feminists - who write about their daily lives, interests and passions. This research is conducted under the supervision of Ms Janice Winship and Dr. Kate O'Riordan.

From July 2008 to May 2009, I returned to the province of Québec for the fieldwork part of my research. During my stay, I was hired as a researcher for the Axe innovations sociales et conditions de vie at the Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales (CRISES), under the supervision of Professor Paul Leduc Browne.

Role

DPhil Student (Gender Studies; School of Law, Politics and Sociology)

Associate Tutor (School of Media, Film and Music)

Qualifications

BA Political Science and International Development (Université du Québec en Outaouais, Quebec, Canada) in 2005.

MA Sociology and Women's Studies (University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) in 2008.

PhD Gender Studies (University of Sussex, Brighton, UK) in 2013.

Activities

Conferences

Papers:

Clennett-Sirois, Laurence (2010). ''If you have a blog, you really exist'. Or why blogging and keeping a manuscript diary are not the same'. Paper presented at the Life Writing and Intimate Publics (7th Biennial International Auto/Biography Association Conference) - University of Sussex (28th June - 1st July, 2010)

Clennett-Sirois, Laurence (2010). Les blogues intimes : des expériences privées notées dans un espace public – pour une prise de conscience politique? (Diary blogs: private experiences written in a public sphere - towards consciousness-raising?). Paper presented in the L’utilisation par les femmes de l’Internet : un outil du savoir branché? session, Canadian Sociological Association Annual Conference - Concordia University (Montréal - June 2010) ** Recipient of the CSA 2010 Best Student Paper Award **

Clennett-Sirois, Laurence (2009). 'I, too, have something to say'. Women and Diary Blogging in Québec, Canada. Paper presented at the Memories, Narratives and Histories Postgraduate Conference - University of Sussex (June 3rd, 2009)

Clennett-Sirois, Laurence (2009). Blogues intimes: une interface nouvelle visant l'égalité entre les sexes (Diary Blogs: A new medium aiming for gender equality). Paper presented at the Situer l'innovation sociale, susciter le changement démocratique Colloquium. 77th ACFAS Congress. University of Ottawa (May 14th, 2009)

Organisation:

(2010) Member of the Digital Methods, Cultural Politics and Feminist Approaches Graduate Conference Organisation Team, University of Sussex, July 5th.

(2008) Member of the Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) Postgraduate Network Conference Organisation Team, University of Sussex, July 1st-2nd.

Chairing:

(2009) Chair of the Media and the Public Sphere panel at the Graduate Centre in the  School of Humanities Conference Transitions: An Interdisciplinary Conference. University of Sussex (June 11th, 2009)

Other experience

Journals:

Completion of article evaluations submitted to the Conserveries mémorielles Journal (Université Laval) and Feminist Review