Feminist Cultures in Europe: History, Values, and Social Transformation (FemE)

At a time when feminism is being challenged by political forces that are reluctant to comply with equality plans and women’s rights, the need to understand the long-standing tradition and values of feminism in Europe becomes particularly important. With a growing and highly diverse university community, this module provides a comprehensive overview of the intellectual genesis and historical development of feminist thought in Europe, its expression in European legislation and policy, and its agency in the advancement of gender equality and social values in Europe. Motivated by the cutting-edge research of the ERC project WINK (Women’s Invisible Ink) into the neglected production of women writers in early modern Europe and its critical inroads into contemporary discourses on gender identities, FemE provides a unique insight into the evolving cultures of feminism from Europe’s early past to the present, and the ways in which its values can be extrapolated beyond European culture with an integrative and non-hegemonic view. The teaching module includes three parts: 1) Intellectual history of European feminism, dealing with the discourses on equality, dignity and rights since Medieval times; 2) Feminisms in action: how feminist discourses in the public sphere throughout the centuries have inspired ground-breaking legislation and policies on equality and diversity in Europe; 3) Feminist values and challenges: how feminist cultural production and policies are key in advancing social cohesion and equality in Europe’s regions and beyond, as conveyed in the reports and gender equality schemes of European governing bodies. Outputs include an open-access package of innovative ‘live’ teaching materials, an interview series, two articles and an edited collection, three FemE seminar-lab training series, and an online and in situ exhibit on Feminist Cultures in Europe.