Gender, Diversity, and Migration

Profile

What do gender orders in the social world look like and how do they change? How are powerful distinctions created between ‘We’ and ‘Others’ in social institutions and organizations? How do identities and affiliations develop in the context of globalized societies and what role do migration processes play? What influence do biotechnologies have on gender relations and social diversity and how do handed down ideas of physicality and gender dualism change as a result? Our division deals with theories, concepts and empirical research which relate these questions to each other.

At the same time, a differentiation must be made between several specialized research fields, such as gender research, studies on the social production of difference(s) (i.e. ‘diversity’) and migration research, sociology of the body, technoscience and gender. The division brings these fields together and reconstructs the joint mechanisms of social differentiation. Intersectionality research, queer studies, theories of  transnationalization, social epistemology, science and technology research as well as the resulting modern methodological approaches, such as ‘queer methodologies’, for example, form the central frame of reference for this task. The objective of this work is to understand marginalized, migrant and/or queer lifeworlds, uncover discursive hegemonies, symbolic violence and forms of definitional power and their effects as well as to examine specific performativities on the basis of empirical studies. The division’s empirical research predominantly follows the premises of qualitative social research.

Courses

Courses in the BA in Sociology comprise introductions to gender research, queer studies, migration research, theories of racism and transnationalization research as well as the history and theory of the women’s movement, sociology of the body and feminist science and technology research. Courses in the MA in Sociology offer in-depth study in gender and intersectionality research, theories of migration, queer studies, cultural studies, ethnicity and racism research as well as recent developments in feminist technoscience studies and social movement research. Alongside the theory-based courses, extensive insight is provided into the methodologies and methods of intersectionality research and transnationally-oriented migration research. Courses are also offered within the teaching degree programmes which address the topic of difference and diversity in the institution “school”. Courses are held in German and English.

spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Helma Lutz


Working Paper Series “Gender, Diversity and Migration”


The research unit “Gender, Diversity and Migration” (Institute of Sociology) introduces a new digital Working Paper Series to present the results of ongoing research by members of the units as well as by associated researchers.
For publication and editorial support, please, contact, Prof. Dr. Helma Lutz E-Mail: lutz@soz.uni-frankfurt.de


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