What does gender research concern itself with?
LIBORA OATES-INDRUCHOVA: Gender is a category to which we are all allocated and that affects us in almost all areas of life. Age, ethnicity, educational level, or physical ability are other such categories. Their consequence often is the creation of hierarchies and inequalities, placing us in socially, economically or culturally privileged or disadvantaged positions. We study how this process works.
So, you study the effects of wearing “gender glasses”, but not only the effects on us as individuals?
LIBORA OATES-INDRUCHOVA: We study hierarchies and power structures that are based on assumptions about gender. We analyze where these come from and ask how they shape politics, the economy, culture and people’s everyday lives. The more intensively we study this, the more likely we are to create conditions for a fairer society that allows everyone to reach their full potential.
But it’s well known that life’s not fair. What’s really left to explore from a gender perspective?
LIBORA OATES-INDRUCHOVA: New questions always arise, and we will always have to ask old questions again, because the conditions or contexts have changed. Gender research helps us to understand the world we live in more fully. It also strengthens democratic values like equality.
In which direction should gender research continue to develop?
LIBORA OATES-INDRUCHOVA: Findings from gender research are significant in all branches of science, scholarship and aspects of life. So, it is not possible to give a general prescription as to what needs to be researched. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought gender, alongside other categories of inequality, into prominence. Inequality generates vulnerability. A society with many or large vulnerable groups is less resilient to sudden events like a pandemic.
>> More on this topic in the AirCampus Podcast of the Week (German only)
Gabriele Possanner Honorary Prizes for Irmtraud Fischer
Since 1997, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research has awarded the Gabriele Possanner Prizes every two years for scientific achievements in the field of gender research. The prize is named after the physician Gabriele Possanner von Ehrenthal, who in 1897 was the first woman in Austria to obtain an academic degree. One state prize, one honorary prize and two promotional prizes are awarded.
First female habilitated Catholic theologian in Austria
This year, the Honorary Prize goes to Univ.-Prof. Dr. Irmtraud Fischer, Professor of Old Testament Biblical Studies at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Graz. She was the first habilitated Catholic theologian in Austria. She is currently co-editor and director of the project "The Bible and Women”. More than 20 volumes on the history of biblical interpretation, with a focus on gender-relevant themes and biblical female figures, will be published in four languages within this framework. The appreciation award is a symbolic award in the form of a sculpture by the artist Claudia Hirtl and is not connected with any prize money.
New podcast: "Gender & more - easily said!"
Irmtraud Fischer is a guest in the first episode of the new podcast "Gender & more - easily said!", which is designed and implemented by the Coordination Centre for Gender Studies and Equal Opportunities at the University of Graz. >> Listen to the episode here (German only)
> > More information about the Gender Research Day and ongoing research projects in this field at the University of Graz can be found at: https://koordination-gender.uni-graz.at/en/