240209 VO Methodological Approaches (2025S)

The lecture provides an introduction to basic questions of (scientific) theory and methodology and an explanation and development of the theoretical and methodological foundations of gender studies. Methodological aspects such as questions of object appropriateness, use of methods, objectivity, intersubjectivity, point of view, research logic and ethics are discussed. Particular attention is paid to feminist contributions to the discussion of methods.
Lecture elements are combined with in-depth collective text reading based on texts provided (and selected in the seminar group), joint, discursive development and processing of the resulting questions, group work, discussions, supplementary input from the leaders (embedding, digressions, etc.). Disciplinary characteristics and norms as well as ethical and epistemological considerations are also discussed. In addition to the presentation of concrete methods, there should therefore also be room for considerations on e.g. research ethics, self-reflection and positioning, epistemology as well as participatory, decolonizing, queer(ing), trans(ending) and crip(ping) approaches. The lecture can focus on methods from the social sciences or the humanities and cultural studies, for example; at the same time, the interdisciplinary character of research in gender studies should be reflected upon.