Beyond Gender Inequalities - Period 4

Despite decades of policies to fight social inequality - including gender inequality - contemporary societies worldwide still struggle with many social, economic, political and cultural inequalities. These inequalities hamper the full participation of members of so-called minority groups, based on their gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, dis/ability, age and other axes of differentiation. In this course, we go beyond seeing gender as a binary between women and men and conceptualise it more inclusively referring to women, men, non-binary people, and other gendered groups. In following, gender equality goes beyond an ?add and stir? approach; inferring that to resolve gendered problems more is needed than merely increasing the numbers of individuals from different gender minorities within organisations, institutions, and companies. Hence the approach to gender in this course breaks open binary thinking and proposes an analysis of gendered ?wicked problems? through an intersectional and decolonial lens that goes beyond eurocentric, heteronormative definitions and teaches students to approach gender as a site where race, class and other identity markers intersect. This critical approach to gender, while challenging, facilitates an analysis of gender inequalities and gender injustices in a way that reflects more accurately the situation, positions and experiences of people and communities who are marginalized and excluded. It also enables the possibility to study those in power, included and considered the social norm, both components being necessary to better understand and fight gender inequality.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) awards credits based on the ECTS system. Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.