The research cluster examines how gender and its characteristics are expressed and transmitted in different social and cultural contexts. The focus here is on the concept of representation, understood as the representation and communication of ideas, concepts or characteristics in a specific context or medium.
The investigation of the representation of gender is carried out from two perspectives: a performative and a knowledge-based one. The performative approach focuses on the embodiment of gender in different social, economic and cultural formats. This includes visual representations in literature, architecture, crafts or religious contexts. The knowledge-based approach deals with the ideas, norms and rules that define gender and its characteristics. This knowledge is anchored in social and individual structures and is often conveyed through language or discourse.
A central aim of the cluster is to draw conclusions about the underlying implicit knowledge about gender from the performative representations of gender. This also includes the concept of truth, particularly in the context of theological and mythological contexts. By examining these, universal and culturally influenced characteristics of knowledge about gender can be worked out.
The research projects pursue a cooperative and interdisciplinary approach. They combine gender-related issues with areas such as the history and theory of architecture, gender and sexuality in cultural productions, theology, linguistics and corporate communication. Different methodological approaches - from qualitative and descriptive to quantitative and experimental methods - are used to answer the respective research questions.