128110 VO Cultural Studies - MA M01 (2018W)

In the 21st century many of us have the privilege to take for granted that some of the goals of feminism and/or the gay and lesbian political movement have been reached and certain rights have been won. Recent political developments and their cultural repercussions, however, seem to question how solid the ground is, upon which these rights stand, and whether these goals need to be renegotiated in the face of 21st century social challenges. This lecture series is a collective endeavour by colleagues from different disciplines, who work either at the University of Vienna or at other academic institutions, but who share their long-standing interest in questions informed or structured by gender studies and/or queer theory. Its first goal is to offer those amongst you, who have never really got around to getting into gender and/or desire as analytical categories, an opportunity to find out what can be done with them. Its second goal is to give those of you, who have been reading about and working with these categories for some terms now in connection with English or American literature and cultural studies, a chance to learn how scholars from other disciplines use the same tools to think through problems that arise in their own fields. The following colleagues will share their expertise for you in 60 minute lectures: Susanne Hochreiter (Germanistik/Vienna), Sabine Grenz (Gender Studies/Vienna); Birgit Sauer (Politikwissenschaften/Vienna); Elisabeth Holzleithner (Rechtsphilosophie/Vienna); Jules Sturm (Cultural Analysis/Biel); Monika Seidl, (Cultural Studies/Vienna); Christine Vogt-William (English Studies/Augsburg); Leo Lippert, (American Studies/Vienna); Sabine Schülting (English Studies/FU Berlin); Renaud Lagabrielle (Romanistik/Vienna); Katharina Wiedlack (American Studies/Vienna & Berlin); Michela Borzaga (English Studies/Vienna). During the last 30 minutes you'll be able to ask questions pertaining to the lectures and the field in which these scholars pursue their questions with the help of tools generated by gender studies and/or queer theory. Be advised that, since not all colleagues are from English/American Studies, some of the lectures are going to be held in German.