WG Sexes Research and Gender Studies
Speakers:
|
Prof. Dr. Sylvia Kirchengast |
Silke Strohmenger, M.A. |
Foundation:
The work group Sexes Research and Gender Studies was formed at the 4th GfA Congress meeting titled "Anthropology and the Sexes" on September 19, 2003.
Goals and Plans:
Sex embrasses all aspects of human life. This fact gives rise to a host of fundamental questions. What does the term sex mean? How many sexes are there? Is a differentiation between biological and social sex meaningful? What significance does sex have for humans, his health, life expectancy, social roles, status and behaviour? Research of the sexes touches base with virtually all of the subdisciplines within anthropology including palaeoanthropology, osteology, ethology, reproductive biology, growth research, and population biology .
In this case, specific conclusions pertaining to the sexes are drawn based primarily upon fundamental anthropological data. Gender research, however, involves much more: it is both reflecting upon and making visible the formation of ones own scientific theory, methods of examination, and interpretation of results. The interdisciplinary orientation of the field of anthropology gives rise to a number of opportunities fortuitous to this branch including the critical evaluation of conclusions and theories regarding sex and gender, the generation of ideological research practices, and new assessment of hypotheses stemming from the natural sciences. It is exactly these aspects that were traditionally seen as falling under the areas of cultural and social sciences. Yet, this is an erroneous assumption: Sex is not a purely social category, rather it is essentially comprised by an interplay between individual bodily processes and socio-cultural bodily practices, and should therefore be addressed by biologically oriented anthropologists. The newly formed work group views itself as a platform for both the cooperative efforts between the individual anthropological disciplines and the interdisciplinary cooperation between fields such as medicine, psychology, archaeology, history etc.
From the theoretical perspective which maintains that the causative factors for the differences existing between the sexes are not discernible and have biological as well as socio-cultural origins, it has become ever more important to initiate a goal oriented form of networking to connect individual sub-disciplines in anthropology and other sciences with the emphasis on sexes such as pedagogy, sociology, psychology, medicine, history, cultural anthropology and archaeology. Specifically, this involves organizing a framework of workshops, congresses and workgroups to promote discourse in goals, differences and similarities in interests, and an atmosphere of synergy between the fields.
In light of the many pressing social, medical, and cultural challenges associated with the „sexes“ it is vital that the workgroup gender studies also have a clear profile within anthropology in order to effectively and convincingly present itself to the public. Only when the results of the workgroup become visible to external target groups and its objectives known will its merit and usefulness become recognized and its effectiveness able to unfold. For example, a type of project catalogue could be created with the function of defining the advantages, content and goals of gender studies in anthropology for purposes of external communication. Depicting the utility of anthropologically oriented research with regards to gender studies is particularly important.
In order to find a common ground within gender studies, it was decided upon to hold two workshops a year that focus on a specific topic. By means of lectures and intensive work within the workgroups, a cooperation and bonding of the various scientific disciplines and their concepts, theses, and opinions is targeted.
Workplan:
- Building up a functioning work group with as many members as possible.
- Defining a clear profile in order to optimize the group's presentation to the public.
- Focused networking with all subdisciplines within anthropology with the emphasis on "sex" as well as other scientific fields with the emphasis on "gender research".
Announcements:
The first workshop involving as many different scientific disciplines as possible focusing on sex and gender research with take place on the 23-24 of April, 2010 in Mainz.
The next meeting of the Workgroup for Sexes Research and Gender Studies will be on the 23-24 of October, 2010 in Vienna.
International: 4th Congress International Society of Gender Medicine. Sex and Gender in Medicine. November 6-8, 2009. Berlin. www.charite.de/gender
