Head: Prof. Dr Karen Ellwanger, Prof. Dr Silke Wenk

Inter- and transdisciplinary research requires a fundamental reflection on disciplinary developments and their methods as well as the relationships and boundaries between different disciplinary cultures. The aim cannot be to negate the respective methods and capabilities of the various disciplines, but on the contrary to explore the possibilities of linking them as necessary for gender research.
In the context of the universally proclaimed "pictorial turn", this also represents a particular challenge for art history and image studies informed by cultural studies in the field of gender studies. Both basic research and teaching projects have attempted to meet this challenge.
In the context of the EU-funded project "Research Integration. Crossing Boundaries between Social Sciences and Humanities" (Prof. Dr Silke Wenk and colleague Rebecca Krebs), in which social and cultural scientists from eight different countries were involved, work was carried out on the development of "Modules for Integrated Research Methods" and introductions to these, following the comparative studies completed in the last two years on the conditions and possibilities of interdisciplinary research in the various European countries. Within this framework, a "Visual Studies" module has been designed.

Key publications:

Wenk, Silke (2005): Strategies of the "Zu-Sehen-Geben". Gender positions in art and art history (together with Sigrid Schade). In: Hadumod Bußmann and Renate Hof (eds.): Genus. Gender Studies in the Cultural and Social Sciences. Stuttgart, 302 - 342

Wenk, Silke (2004): "Studien zur visuellen Kultur" (together with Sigrid Schade and Daniela Hammer-Tugendhat), Jonas Verlag Marburg. Volume 3: Barbara Schrödl: Das Bild des Künstlers und seiner Frauen. Relationships between art history and popular culture in feature films of National Socialism and the post-war period