(VL) Gender Studies and Literature

This lecture series is a thorough introduction to the ever-expanding field of gender studies. We will not only trace the historical development of notions of femininity and masculinity fromAristotle and the Bible to the present but the lecture series will also provide an introduction to the major theoretical branches of gender studies such as women studies, deconstructive feminism, masculinity studies and transgender and intersex studies. Special attention will be given to the interrelatedness of language, sexuality and the construction of identity. Moreover, for this lecture series, several guest speakers, such as the American performance artist and photographer Del LaGrace Volcano and the Zimbabwean scholar Dr. Esther Mavengano, are invited to offer fresh and additional perspectives on gender.

The lecture will start in week two (17.04.2024).