NOISE Summer School 1997

NOISE (Network of Interdisciplinary Women's Studies in Europe) announces its 1997 Summer School:

Date: Mon, 10 Feb 1997
From: pvilla@helene.hdz.uni-dortmund.de
Subject: Summer School in Germany - announcement

• The application deadline for the following Summer School in European Women's Studies has been extended. Note that applications are welcome until March, 1st 1997

• Application forms can be demanded at:
  pvilla@helene.hdz.uni-dortmund.de or at the adress at the end of this message. Snail, fax and email applications are possible.

• For the cyberspace-program please apply to: m.michielsens@ped.kun.nl

European Women's Studies from Multicultural and Interdisciplinary Perspectives

August, 18 - September 6, 1997
Dortmund/Bielefeld

An advanced Introductory Post-Graduate Summer School in

• Feminist Theory
• State and (In)Equality
• Feminist Cultural Studies

Aim:
This three-week intensive Summer School aims to offer an advanced introduction to Women's Studies in Europe from multucultural and interdisciplinary perspectives on a post-graduate level. In this course, multiculturalism is defined as a comparative inter-European approach based on an anti-racist perspective. Moreover, the programme aims to challenge the North-American agenda in Women's Studies and to develop cross-cultural teaching methodologies in the European context.

Content:
This year's programme consits of the following three clusters: State and (In)Equality, Feminist Theory and Feminist Cultural Studies. The central themes of the course (multi-culturalism and interdisciplinarity) are adressed in each cluster by means of concepts and theories developed in these different areas of Women's Studies.

Clusters:

• Feminist Theory: The aim of the Feminist Theory Cluster is to present a variety of positions in feminist philosphies with regard to the issue of subjectivity, citizenship and multicultural locations in a european perspective. Special emphasis will be placedon a comparison of critical theories from the French, the German, the postcolonial and the semiotic perspective. Although the aim of this cluster is theoretical, attempts will be made to embed these theories in very concrete examples and situations, such as for instance the notion of 'European Citizenship'. Cross-references will also be made to other clusters, for instance to the ways in which contemporary popular culture both relays and produces significant theoretical frameworks that bear on issues of citizenship and power.

Teachers:
Celia Amoros, Spain
Patrizia Violi, Italy
Rosi Braidotti, The Netherlands
Encarnacion Gutierrez Rodriguez, Germany

• Feminist Cultural Sudies: The Feminist Cultural Studies cluster will examine visual culture and its role in communication from a feminist perspective. A visual culture is associated with a particular way of seeing and rendering the world. The ability to construct visualization is 'knowledge-in-practice', and is open to diverse levels of interpretation and understanding. The cluster will make use of a broad range of examples of visualization across (professional) cultures (e.g. from areas such as design, engineering, software deveoplment) for discussing issues of practice, knowledge, context and identity.

Teachers:
Ina Wagner, Austria
Estrella de Diego, Spain
Cristina Penamarin, Spain
NN

*State and (In)Equality:
The State and (In)Equalitiy cluster discusses how ineequality between men and women is (re)produced by State Policies. A central question will be how these policies position women as members of social classes, ethnic communities and families in different ways. The aim of this cluster is to provide and discuss various analytical approaches towards the in- and exclusion of Women in Northern European Nation-States and to adress differences and similarities through exchange.

Teachers:
Birgit Riegraf, Germany
Ursula Mueller, Germany
Sedef Guemen, Germany
Alison Woodward, Belgium
Solveig Bergman, Finland

Structure:
The morning sessions consit of lectures followed by discussions. In the afternoon participants split up in small groups each accompanied by tutors and teachers. These working groups discuss the assignments and the prepared material. Each cluster closes with a panel discussion. An extra evaluation/discussion day between and after the cluster teaching days will provide the oportunity to deepen the analysis of the problems treated. The Summer School will be held at Dortmund University (Germany), including some working sessions in Bielefeld University (for the third cluster) and cultural/social activities in the area.

Next to the cluster teaching, a communication and computer training day is offered, so that the multicultural encounter is addressed on more than a pure academic level. Body and singing excercises are an integral part of the programme.

Computer training and Cyberspace Program: coordinated by Magda Michielsens, Belgium/The Netherlands

Cyberspace:
For those students who are not able to attend the Summer School, we offer the possibility to participate in an experiment on the Internet and study part of the Summer School programme long distance. Several lectures will be offered through Internet - for a specific period of time - with hypertext elaboration of the major links to other relevant sites. Every lecture is accompanied by a printed article which will be sent to you in advance. There is also the possibility of a virtual classroom discussion with teachers and Summer School students in a computer-room in Germany. Furthermore, teachers a re available (electronically) for supervision and feedback to the virtual students. A written essay of 8-10 pages is requested in order to obtain a certificate for this cyberspace programme. There are no fees onvolved. Interested candidates should apply at m.michielsens@ped.kun.nl

Target Group:
Advanced final-year under-graduate and post-graduate students, as well as PhD-students in the area of Women's Studies. Students from NOISE partner universities as well as other interested candidates (especially from Central and Eastern Europe and Development Countries) are welcome to apply.

Number of Participants:
max. 60

Credits:
9 ECTS credits

Certificate:
After fulfilment of all requirements (preparation of assignments and reading, attendance and final essay of 8-10 pages), participants will recieve the NOISE-certificate. At the partner universities of NOISE, this certificate can be used to recieve an equivalence of credits of the home university.

Fees:
DM 700,- (US$ 450,-; ECU 350,- including readers)

Accomodation costs:
Costs for a furnished student room +/- DM 250,- (US$ 150,-; ECU 125,- no food included)

Grants:
A limited number of Erasmus grants are specifically available for students from NOISE partner universities. Grants and possibilities for reductions are also available for other interested candidates. Please contact the adress below concerning these items.

Advanced payment:
Registration of participants selected for the course will be only considered official fter their advanced payment of DM 350,- (US$ 235,-: ECU 175,-) of the total costs of +/- DM 950,- (US_ 635; ECU 475). Otherwise admission will not be guaranteed.

Housing:
A 'house of our own' has been reserved. It's downtown Dortmund, right by the central train station, offering seminar-rooms, big kitchens, a small garden and other facilities.

Organisation:
University of Bielefeld, IFF (Center for Women's Studies/University of Bielefeld); University Dortmund/Center for Higher Education Research and Instructional Development; DFG-PhD-programme 'Gender relations and social change'; Network Women's Studies Northrhine-Westfalia; Ministry of Science of Northrhine-Westfalia; Network of Interdisciplinary Women's Studies in Europe (NOISE), Utrecht University, NL

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