Lecture series "Democracy (education) and gender

Lecture series of the Competence Center for Gender Studies in Transformation (GETRA) in cooperation with the Department of International Gender Politics and Qualitative Methods in Political Science

Attacks on equality and diversity policies, anti-feminism, queerphobia and the restriction of LGBTIQ+ rights have long since become central strategies of right-wing authoritarian policies and focus on educational contexts. Issues of gender and diversity are increasingly being used as leverage to undermine democratic principles, minority rights and social cohesion. At the same time, precisely these issues - the reduction of gender-specific inequalities, the protection of minorities and the strengthening of inclusive participation - are among the cornerstones of plural democracies and are the focus of gender studies.

Against this background, the lecture series aims to shed light on the connection between democracy and gender relations, with a focus on educational policy contexts and settings. The lectures in the series reflect on this connection at a conceptual level: What does it mean to look at gender relations in terms of democratic theory and politics? What challenges and perspectives does this present for political education? What significance does the demand for neutrality in (political) education have against this background? On the other hand, specific topics and fields of action will be discussed: What is the significance of anti-feminism in educational contexts? What is the connection between language prohibition policies in the educational context and authoritarian (gender) policies? What ways of dealing with anti-democratic gender politics can we find in the context of education?

The lecture is open to the university public and is particularly aimed at student teachers.