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SoSe 20: (GEND) Fourth-wave feminism, gender violence and the digital space

Jennifer Ailed Chan de Avila

Comments

From #metoo to #elenao, the role of internet and its growing relevance for feminist activism and feminist politics, has led to impassionate declarations, particularly in mainstream media, about the arrival of a “fourth wave of feminism”. In this course we want to explore from an academic perspective the following questions: Is there a “Fourth Wave” of feminism? And, if there is, what are its particularities, how is it different and what are the conditions of its arrival? How is it related to Cyberfeminism? And why/how do non-Western feminisms support or negate its existence? And even… what are the problems related to using the wave metaphor in the first place? After briefly reconstructing the so-called three waves of western feminism(s) and revisit seminal texts and ideas, the seminar will focus on the debate around the apparent emergence of a fourth wave of feminism and explore its relation and intersections with postfeminism(s).Consequently, we will revise current authors that proclaim the arrival of the fourth wave of feminism. The aim is to create a framework to systematize the traits and particularities that are attributed to the movement(s) and explore some of its major characteristics and themes, particularly the role of internet and activist practices in the digital space. Since the course aims to foster the critical analysis and practical approaches by the students, during the final section we will critically engage with some of the issues that have come to be associated with the idea of "fourth wave of feminism", with a particularly focus on sexual harassment and violence against women and the way that they are connected to social media activism and “online feminism”. For this, we will look at concrete examples from both the Global North and Global South and engage critically with them. As a special treat, the course will receive constant valuable inputs and contributions from Dr. Sabina García Peter, digitalisation expert of the Margherita von Brentano Center for Gender Studies at Freie Universität Berlin. close

13 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Wed, 10:00 - 12:00 13 Class schedule

Wed, 2020-04-22 10:00 - 12:00

Lecturers:
Dr. Jennifer Ailed Chan de Avila