Feminist Critical Analysis

Inter-University Center (IUC), Dubrovnik May 27th to May31st, 2013

Call for Applications Center for Gender and Politics of the Belgrade University (Political Science Department), Women’s and Gender Studies at Rutgers of the State University of New Jersey, and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Washington University in St Louis are pleased to announce the next annual postgraduate course in Feminist Critical Analysis: Contemporary Contentions -Rethinking Gender Identity and Identity Politics.

Following challenging examples in feminism, including those of raising contentious issues, this seminar will ask some current questions that are significant for a wider international feminist community as well as for the Balkans. Namely, what are some of today’s feminist contentions? In the 1980s and 1990s, feminists challenged essentialist and one-dimensional understandings of a “woman” and gender identity through the use of the concept of “intersectionality.” This concept highlighted the point that gender identity always intersects with other categories of social identity such as »race«, class, nationality, etc. Over the last ten years, feminists have pushed further, recognizing that categories of identity do not merely “intersect” but change meaning in relation to context and time and relate to the physicality of bodies and the gravitational pull of institutions and laws in complex ways. How does this insight shape our understandings, not only of the concept of gender identity, but also the notorious concept of the “identity politics”? “Who’s afraid of identity politics” today, to use Linda Alcoff’s words, and why? Does feminism have a politics of difference? What are feminist political positionings regarding this issue within, or between, or in opposition to the left or liberal standpoints? These questions cut not only into some of the burning issues in the Balkans today, but are undoubtedly as significant on a wider scale. The annual course “Feminist Critical Analysis” will in 2013 examine these, more recent theoretical moves and consider their consequences for feminist scholarship and activism. The course will be held at the Inter-University Centre, Dubrovnik (www.iuc.hr) from May 27 to May 31 (2013). The course is co-directed by Professor Dasa Duhacek, University of Belgrade, Professor Ethel Brooks, Rutgers University and Distinguished Professor Linda Nicholson, Washington University. The course is built on the intellectual dialogue among a diverse body of scholars from different geographical locations and the participating faculty is drawn from different universities.

ELIGIBILITY IUC courses are conducted at a postgraduate level. All postgraduate students interested in the topic may apply for participation. All meetings are conducted in English. Course participants are eligible for ECTS credits, depending on decisions of their respective home institutions. Participants should seek funds from their own institutions to cover travel and accommodation costs. Limited financial support is available for participants from Central and Eastern Europe, who can apply for it according to instructions found here: http://www.iuc.hr/hesp-osi.php. Organizers themselves are not in a position to offer any financial support.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE A short narrative (up to 250 words) explaining your interest in the topic and your C.V. with your current complete contact information should be submitted by e-mail; Final deadline for applications is January 14, 2013. Please send your applications to the Center for Gender and Politics University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Sciences, at studijeroda@fpn.bg.ac.rs with Dubrovnik 2013 in the subject heading.

Center for Gender and Politics
Faculty of Political Science
Jove Ilica 165
11000 Belgrade
phone/fax: +381 11 2491 219
e-mail: studijeroda@fpn.bg.ac.rs
Email: studijeroda@fpn.bg.ac.rs