In the last decades researchers from the sociology of religion have observed that religion, religiosity and religious practices regained visibility in public spaces, one famous example being the resurgence of the Islamic veil. As a result, the secularisation hypothesis that processes of modernisation necessarily bring about secularisation has been scrutinized. These global observations that some coined postsecularity is a clear sign for a transformation of the relationship between religion and secularity. In the interdisciplinary field of Gender Studies several aspects have been discussed: Firstly, it has been argued that anti-clerical attitudes resulting from the aim to further gender equality should not be mixed with anti-religious attitudes. Instead feminists should investigate the epistemological as well as methodological implications of conducting research on religion, religiosity, spirituality and secularity. Secondly, the Christian residua within Western scientific thinking should be analysed alongside with the genealogies of the terms secularism and religiosity. Thirdly, religion should be integrated as one more category into the canon of intersectionality and, additionally, intellectual diversity should be recognised and alternative concepts of religiosity, spirituality as well as secularity should be welcomed.
In this workshop we – an international group of gender studies scholars – aim to discuss related issues and introduce our research questions and projects in this area. Interested colleagues, Postdocs, PhD students and students are welcome to discuss related questions with us.
Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Sabine Grenz (Gender Studies) in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Ulrike Auga (Käthe-Leichter visiting professor for Gender Studies)
Invited group members:
Dr. Nella van den Brandt (Utrecht University)
Dr. Konstanze Hanitzsch (Göttingen University)
Dr. Mia Liinason (University of Gothenburg)
Dr. Maki Kimura (University College London/University of Göttingen)
Organizer: University of Vienna, Department of Education in cooperation with the Gender Unit.
Entry free, but send a short registration by e-mail to the secretary: patricia.stuhr@univie.ac.at