Time:
Preparation phase: August to September 2009
Sessions: October 19-21, 2009
Deadline for application:
June 1, 2009
Number of participants:
20
Venue:
Centre for Gender Studies, Stockholm University, Sweden
Organized by:
Centre for Gender Studies, Stockholm University and Centre for Transdisciplinary Gender Studies, Humboldt-University, Berlin, in collaboration with the director and academic coordinator of the Research School.
Course coordinators:
Professor Antje Hornscheidt, Centre for Transdisciplinary Gender Studies, Humboldt-University, Berlin
PhD Renita Sörensdotter, Centre for Gender Studies, Stockholm University
Dr. Encarnación Gutiérrez Rodríguez, School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, University of Manchester
in collaboration with
Director of the Research School, Professor Nina Lykke
and Dr. Anna Lundberg, both at Linköping University, Sweden
Accreditation:
7,5 ECTS for active participation
15 ECTS for active participation + essay (evaluated pass)
Course description:
This graduate course takes up models and paradigms in gender studies which are recently subsumed under the heading “intersectionality”. There are, however, longstanding traditions of feminist and gender studies as well as – among others – feminist and black political activism which have developed concepts in order to analyse multiple oppressions, complex discriminations, privileges and interdependent domination-relations. Some of them have been adapted and/or re/configured in recent models of intersectionality. The course aims at a critical re-evaluation of this theoretical and methodological development in gender studies, in relation to the students’ own projects.
The course conceptualizes intersectionality as a travelling concept and asks for different lines of development and applications. On the one hand, concrete research opportunities given by the concept are taken up; on the other hand the role of intersectionality in gender studies and its institutionalisation is also discussed. We will look into mutual receptions and ex- and inclusions of models of intersectionality and queer studies. Besides an overview over different models and their possible applications on different research topics and questions, the course will also contextualise academic knowledge processes.
Students in the course are encouraged to adapt the theories, methodologies and models on their own projects and to present and discuss their ideas during the course. It is the course’s aim to enable students to understand similarities and differences between different models, concepts and terminologies and to decide upon which advantages and challenges these models can have for their respective research projects.
The course consists of three parts:
1. Reading preparation phase: all students are given a list with course literature which they have to prepare individually according to reading questions given in advance; all students are asked to write short papers (2-3 pages) on their research projects with regard to different aspects of intersectionality and to hand them in by the 19th of September. They will then be discussed in the second phase of the course.
2. 19-21 october 2009: Monday to Wednesday
Monday: On the first day different traditions and terminologies are presented and critically discussed. Questions to be taken up on the first day include:
• What are the presuppositions and implications of models and concepts of intersectionality?
• In how far are categories presupposed, how far is intersectional research build upon categories?
• What role play other dimensions like space, time, bodies and context and other analytical perspectives like relations of discriminations/priviliges, construction processes like categorization and so on?
• What are the starting points chosen in models of intersectionality and in concrete research?
• What kind of images and metaphors are used in works on intersectionality and what do they imply?
Literature:
Collins, Patricia Hill. 1999. “Moving beyond gender. Intersectionality, situated standpoints and black feminist thought.” Collins, P.H. Fighting words. Black women and the search for justice. Minneapolis, 201-228.
Combahee River Collective. 1981. “A black feminist statement.” Moraga, Cherrié and Gloria Anzaldúa (eds.) This bridge is called my back. N.Y., 210-218.
Frankenberg, Ruth. 2000. “White women, race matters”. Back & Solomos (eds). Theories of race and racism. A reader. London: Routledge.
Lorde, Audre. 1988. “Age, race, class and sex: women redefining difference.” Rothenberg, Paula S. (ed.) Racism and sexism. An integrated study. N.Y., 352-359.
Sandoval, Chela. 2000. Methodology of the oppressed. Minneapolis (University of Minnesota Press), 40-63.
Tuesday:Topics on the second day include reflections on disciplinary traditions and backgrounds of models of intersectionality and transdisciplinary challenges to intersectionality as well as processes of normalizations in knowledge building in gender studies within a theoretisation of intersectionality
• What kind of knowleges are put centrally in models of intersectionality? What kinds of categories and/or forms of oppression are focused upon? In how far are there different kinds of in- and exclusions in intersectional research?
• How are hierarchisations involved in processes of discrimination as well as in concrete research agendas: How do you choose relevant categories due to your analysis? In what way are different categories applied, on what level and with which effects?
• A further field of interest is the relationship of models of intersectionality to different disciplinary, inter- and transdisciplinary traditions: what kind of traditions and norms/normativities are taken up, challenged and/or questioned?
• How is the relationship between feminist intersectional studies and queer studies?
Literature:
Janice McLaughlin, Mark E. Casey and Diane Richardson). 2006. ”Introduction: At the intersections of feminist and queer debates”. Richardson, Diane, Janice McLaughlin and Cark E. Casex (eds.) Intersections between feminist and queer theory. N.Y. (Palgrave), 1-18.
McCall, Leslie. 2005. “The Complexity of intersectionality” Signs 30/3, 1771-1802.
Hornscheidt, Antje. 2009. Intersectional challenges to gender studies – gender studies as challenge to intersectionality [forthcoming].
Puar, Jasbir K. 2005. ”Queer times, queer assemblages.” Social Text 23/3-4, 121-139.
Richardson, Diane. 2006. ”Bordering theory” Richardson, Diane, Janice McLaughlin and Cark E. Casex (eds.) Intersections between feminist and queer theory. N.Y. (Palgrave), 19- 37.
Wednesday: Topics on the third day include possible effects of intersectionality models on identity politics and political activism as well as knowledge transfer between different political fields. In addition to that we will take up questions of how to apply models of intersectionality more concretely into the own research project.
• How is the relationship between categorizations in concepts of intersectionality to identities?
• In how far are identity politics challenged by intersectionality?
• Is there a chance for a deconstructive identity politics on the basis of intersectionality concepts?
• How can we overcome linear thinking and additive models in applying intersectionality models to our own research?
• How are privileges, institutionalisations, the (non-)travelling of theories and concepts reflected in intersectionality studies? How can intersectionality be understood as a Western concept and what does it make with different positions and identities?
Literature:
Grewal, Inderpal and Caren Kaplan. 2002. Scattered hegemonies. Postmodernity and transnational feminist practices. Minneapolis.
Gutiérrez Rodríguez, Encarnacion 'On the Depoliticisation of Intersectionality Talk. Conceptualising Multiple Oppressions in Critical Sexuality Studies' (with Umut Erel, Jin Haritaworn and Christian Klesse), in Out of Place: interrogating silences in queerness / raciality, ed. by Adi Kuntsman and Esperanza Miyake (Raw Nerve Books) (forthcoming).
McClintock, Anne. 2003. Imperial leather. Race, gender and sexuality in the colonial contest. N.Y./London.
Mohanty, Chandra Talpade. 2003. Feminism without borders. Decolonizing theory, practicizing solidarity. Duke (Duke University Press).
3. Papers of 5-7 pages have to be handed in until the end of november
Contact persons and more information:
Professor Antje Hornscheidt, Centre for Transdisciplinary Gender Studies, Humboldt University, Berlin, antje.hornscheidt@gender.hu-berlin.de, +49 30 20938201
PhD Renita Sörensdotter, Centre for Gender Studies, Stockholm University,
renita.sorensdotter@kvinfo.su.se, +46 8 674 73 01
Dr. Encarnación Gutiérrez Rodríguez, School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures, University of Manchester
e.gutierrez@manchester.ac.uk, +44 (0) 161 275 8047