Project overview
This PhD project examines the ways in which Gender Studies scholars at Dutch universities are responding to growing political tensions in the Netherlands, against the backdrop of rising concerns about academic freedom and social (un)safety on university campuses, debates about what constitutes ‘proper’ science as well as an increasing global pushback against progressive gender politics. The aim is to better understand how these scholars navigate their roles as producers and disseminators of often devalued knowledge and how they envision the future of Gender Studies work in the Netherlands, in light of these changes.
Focus areas
This research explores key areas relating to the challenges and relevance of doing Gender Studies work, such as, affective responses to (potential) backlash and precarity, the cultivation of joy and collective resistance amongst Gender Studies scholars, and strategies for enacting critical feminist pedagogies in Gender Studies education.
Methodology
The data is collected using qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and focus groups. Drawing on intersectional feminist perspectives, the work considers the complex power dynamics shaping both the shared and conflicting experiences of Gender Studies scholars. Participants consist of scholars working with topics and approaches relating to Gender Studies, who are currently based at higher education institutions in the Netherlands. This includes academics coming from different disciplinary backgrounds and levels of experience. Funding The project is funded by a Starter Grant.