Universität Wien
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240518 SE MM3 Locating Women; Gender, and Feminisms in Africa (2025W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 24 - Kultur- und Sozialanthropologie
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung

Participation at first session is obligatory!

The lecturer can invite students to a grade-relevant discussion about partial achievements. Partial achievements that are obtained by fraud or plagiarized result in the non-evaluation of the course (entry 'X' in certificate). The plagiarism software 'Turnitin' will be used.
The use of AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) for the attainment of partial achievements is only allowed if explicitly requested by the course instructor.
Moodle

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 25 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

  • Dienstag 07.10. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 14.10. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 21.10. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 28.10. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 04.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 11.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 18.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 25.11. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 02.12. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 09.12. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 16.12. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 13.01. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 20.01. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
  • Dienstag 27.01. 11:30 - 13:00 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

It is essential to locate African feminisms and gender within social and cultural anthropological studies. Thus, this course provides students with a broad interdisciplinary overview of scholarly research and theory related to women and gender studies in Africa, using both historical and contemporary examples from across the continent. In this course, we will explore the complex, and oftentimes contradictory, meanings attached to gender and sexuality in various African contexts. For example, What role did gender play in African societies in the pre-colonial era? What does it mean to be a “woman” in many parts of Africa today? What role did woman to woman marriage play in African societies in the past? What if gender did not matter, or even, did not exist in those societies? In addition to exploring these types of questions, we will also examine African feminist thought, paying close attention to the ways in which African feminisms are similar to and/or different from other forms of feminism worldwide. We will also consider what these movements looked like in practice. What strategies did African feminists utilize to promote social change? What challenges did they face? What victories resulted from their efforts? Key areas that will be examined in this course include, environmental activism, anti-war/peace activism, political activism, sex worker rights activism, and activism against harmful traditional practices. Finally, we will examine
the ways in which African feminists have contributed to global debates and initiatives on women's rights and gender equity.

Students in this course can expect to engage with diverse texts from history, literature, film studies, and philosophy, as well as from the social and behavioral sciences, such as anthropology, geography, sociology, and political science. In this course, we will also explore closely, the entanglements of race, gender, sex, sexuality and reproductive justice on the African continent. Equal attention will be paid to ongoing social struggles driven, especially by feminists and activists who are making important headway towards gender and sexual equality across the African
continent.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

Continuous participation. Justified absence from 2 of the classes is tolerated.
Participation in the discussion
Presentation of a paper during the semester (10 pages).
Writing a term paper (15 pages, Times New Roman, 1.5 lines, 12 pt.)

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

All semester assignments must be completed and a written paper must be submitted in order to successfully complete the course.

Assessment criteria:
- Presentation: 30 points
- Seminar paper: 50 points (the specified/agreed deadline must be met)
- Participation in the discussion phases (constructive, technically correct contributions and engagement in discussing the presentations): 20 points.

A positive assessment of the course requires 60 points.

1 (very good) 90-100 points
2 (good) 80-89 points
3 (satisfactory) 70-79 points
4 (sufficient) 60-69 points

Prüfungsstoff

Course Objectives
By the end of this course, students will have the ability to:
1. Name and define key concepts in African women and gender studies.
2. Discuss various types of family structures in Africa.
3. Compare and contrast the ways in which African feminisms are similar to and/or different from other forms of feminism worldwide.
4. Describe some of the key strategies that African feminists have utilized to fight for social change.

Literatur

Secondary Texts
1. Beoku-Betts, Josephine and Njambi, Wairimū (2005) “African feminist scholars in Women’s Studies.” Negotiating Spaces of Dislocation and Transformation in the Study of Women. Meridians, 6(1), 113-132.

2. Gasa, Nomboniso (2007) “Feminisms, motherisms, patriarchies and women’s voices.” Women in South African History: Basus’ iimbokodo, bawel’imilambo/They remove boulders and cross rivers, 207-229.

3. Lugones, Maria. (2016). The coloniality of gender. Feminisms in Movement, 35.

4. Njambi, Ngarũiya Njambi and William E. O'Brien (2000). Revisiting “Woman-Woman Marriage”: Notes on Gĩkũyũ Women. NWSA Journal, 1-23.

5. Oyěwùmí, Oyèrónkẹ́ (1997): “Colonising bodies and mind” in The invention of women: Making an African sense of western gender discourses. Universtiy of Minnesota Press.

6. Salami, Minna Salami, M. (2021). The liquid space where African feminism and African futurism meet. Feminist Africa, 2(2), 90-94.

7. Salo, Elaine and Mama, Amina (2001) “Talking about feminism in Africa” Agenda, 16(50), 58-63.

8. Stuart, Toni (2017) “the revolution is a woman” Feminist Africa, (22), 227-230.

9. Tamale, Sylvia (2020) “Decolonization and Afro-feminism.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRLMmoiOXCg

10. WATCH: African Union (2023) “Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Africa”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjedno-SCxc

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Letzte Änderung: Mi 08.10.2025 00:03