210086 SE BAK14: Gender and Politics (2023S)

CONTENT

Utopia can mean a lot: the desire for a way of being that is different and ‘better’, broadly understood as less discriminatory, more socially and environmentally just than current ones, a multiple and open anticipation of alternative futurities, a critical and hopeful way of producing new knowledge, a theory, a way of de- and reconstructing, an everyday practice. In the course "Creating New Feminist Utopias: Queer and Decolonial Interventions", we will look into different concrete forms of utopias that have already been part of historical and present feminist debates from an intersectional, queer and decolonial lens, but we will also deal with utopianism as a way of thinking, of deconstructing multiple power-hierarchies and re-constructing alternatives. We will take upon the radical potential of queerness and decoloniality to break down hierarchical binaries and create new ways of being.

TEACHING/LEARNING APPROACH

In this seminar we will follow a holistic, queer and decolonial approach regarding knowledge, knowledge production and learning. For me, this means that queer and decolonial interventions are not only the content of the course as a scientific and political concept, but also a teaching and learning method. Together we will try to break down and queer binaries and hierarchies on all levels in the seminar room (e.g. between teachers and students, body and mind, reason and emotion). We will unlearn and relearn how we produce knowledge outside of Eurocentric, androcentric, and heteronormative standards. In line with feminist standpoint theories and the method of autotheories, we will do this by valuing the incorporation of our own emotions, experiences, and situatedness within the social structures that surround us.
Our collective learning will not be about finding the "right" answers to predefined questions, but about developing and discussing together the questions that are relevant to us in the first place. So-called mistakes and failures are part of the collective learning process and very much welcome! This seminar will be very much about questioning what has been taken for granted so far and about exposing and enduring contradictions - especially contradictions that also affect us as individuals in a discriminating cis-hetero patriarchal-capitalist social system. It is possible that some discomfort or other emotions may arise in the course of the seminar. Catching and working on these together will also be part of our collective learning process.

WORKING LANGUAGE/S

The primary working language of the course is English. All participants are welcome to contribute with other languages. If English is a big hurdle for some participants, we will try to work a lot with whispered translations. In any case, a language barrier should not be the reason why people decide not to attend the seminar, we will certainly find a solution for that.

We will be reading English texts, some of which are quite challenging. Where available, I can try to also provide German versions, but this will not always be possible. There are also translations of some texts into many other languages, which may be found if needed.

ACCESSIBILITY

Participants are of course entitled to non-discriminatory and barrier-free access to the course (as far as possible). I strive to provide materials in the most accessible form possible and would ask all participants to do the same. If you have specific requirements, please feel very free to let me know at the beginning of the semester.

INTER, TRANS, NON-BINARY.

It is important to me that names, forms of address, pronouns, etc. are straightforward and in accordance with the wishes of their bearers - both myself and all other participants. I myself use gender-neutral pronouns (e.g. they/them/their) or none at all and I am happy about gender-neutral salutations (e.g. "Hello" or "Dear") in e-mails etc.

I would like us to be on a first name basis. Please let me know in case this is not okay with you.