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
