LFU:online

To provide insight into a variety of approaches dealing with critical gender studies (including women’s studies and critical men’s studies). Through readings, lectures and discussions, students will learn about gender studies from diverse theoretical and interdisciplinary perspectives (e.g. natural sciences, liberal arts and social sciences) as well as from feminist scholarly critiques of science. They will learn the context in which women were formerly and formally excluded from certain areas of society and investigate the extent to which both sexes are integrated in today’s social structures (e.g. private and public sectors). The sciences, which includes the scientific community (institutions of higher learning), will be examined, among other things, as a system representing social power relationships, with often invisible gender specific (gender hierarchical) dimensions. Finally, students will be encouraged to critically discuss the basic principles and instruments of equal opportunity programs (e.g. gender mainstreaming, gender-sensitive communications skills, gender-fair use of language). An analysis of the category gender ought thus to help students in an exemplary way obtain broader insight into their own scholarship, theoretically and in practice.

This course addresses two important dimensions of gender and science:

(1) The field of science itself: various theories concerning critical women’s and gender studies, including their respective historical origins (key issues: the close connection between theory and practice, special features and similiarities/differences among the disciplines, inter- and transdisciplinarity, interconnections between gender and other social categories), inspection of the limits and possibilities of one’s own discipline.

(2) Gender in practice: examination of various legal frameworks and gender-related soft skills, for instance with equal opportunities/affirmative action programs, especially at the level of higher education (and changes over time) in Austria as well as comparatively (EU, worldwide). In addition, competences such as gender-sensitive use of language are introduced.

The first sessions are devoted to an introduction and broad overview of the subject (including large and small group discussions, readings) by the course instructor. Thereafter, seminar students will largely themselves present papers, to be followed by discussion.

Regular and active attendance, oral presentation and a short written assignment.

Will be indicated in the first session.