The Helene Lange College "Queer Studies and Intermediality: Art - Music - Media Culture" is focusing on queer art, music and media culture and will kick off on Thursday, 4 July at 5 p.m. (Haarentor Campus, Building A8, Room 0-001).
"Queer questions binary gender systems such as male and female, contradicts them and shows alternatives," explains Prof Dr Barbara Paul, university lecturer for art studies and spokesperson for the Helene Lange Kolleg.
The researchers at the Centre investigate intermedia works that combine different forms of expression from art, music, popular culture and media. Their question: How does intermediality favour queer positions? And to what extent can queer works function as anti-normalisation politics? Queer studies are still little established in this country, says Paul. "That's why the Centre represents a special opportunity for the University of Oldenburg to expand its gender studies in the direction of queer studies in cultural studies."
At the launch event, Paul will provide insights into the objectives and thematic focus of the Centre. Prof Dr Bernd Siebenhüner, Vice President for Early Career Researchers and Quality Management, and Prof Dr Sabine Kyora, Dean of School III - School of Linguistics and Cultural Studies, will give welcoming addresses.
The Helene Lange Kolleg is endowed with four academic positions and includes a programme for the promotion of young women. The fellows take part in the doctoral degree programme "Cultural Gender Studies", which is based at School III - School of Linguistics and Cultural Studies - and is now being expanded to include queer studies.
Researchers from the subjects of Art and Media Studies, Musicology/Cultural History of Music and Cultural Gender Studies at the university are participating in the Helene Lange Kolleg, in co-operation with experts from the University of the Arts Bremen (HfK Bremen).
The research group is headed by Prof. Dr Barbara Paul, musicologist Prof. Dr Melanie Unseld, art historian Prof. Dr Silke Wenk - both from the University of Oldenburg - and Prof. Dr Andrea Sick, professor of art and media history/theory at the HfK Bremen. The research group is coordinated by the Institute of Art and Visual Culture - in co-operation with the Centre for Interdisciplinary Women's and Gender Studies (ZFG) at the University of Oldenburg.