Sexualities in Development: Insights and Perspectives
Research Group: arge_bodies_gender_sex
The research group arge_bodies_gender_sex at the Institute for International Development at the University of Vienna deals with sexualities, bodies and genders as a sphere of activity within development cooperation and as a topic of development criticism.
We are concerned with questions of non-heteronormative identifications and with sexual human rights, with FGM/FCM and with sex work, with HIV prevention politics and with strategies against sexualized violence.
We consistently put a focus on criticism of centrism and work with and on non-Eurocentric body images, as well as approaches to sex/gender systems that are critical of Eurocentrism.
Our panel will put concrete research results up for discussion and, together with the participants, specify the question to what extent feminist, queer, postcolonial and other thematizations of body/sex/gender/desire are relevant for Development Studies.
Panel Program
13:30
Hanna Hacker: Who needs [gender] when they can have [sex]? A critical overview of “sexy” strategies within the context of development
The lecture puts a focus on feminist considerations of the “sexual rights” approach and of the “sexual pleasure” concept in more recent development discourse. There will be a particular reflection upon the status that “violence” (towards bodies, towards social minorities, in local and global relationships) can or should have when orienting oneself around “pleasure”, and thus around a concept of subject which looks at desire rather than exploitation.
Christine Klapeer: Sex(y) is not enough & gender is not sex(y) at all – Theoretical, methodological and practical challenges of a gender- and sexuality-sensitive approach for development research
Commentary, continuation and discussion of the theses and questions posed by Hanna Hacker, as well as concrete considerations around the challenges and problems within the fields of research and practice.
15:00
Elisabeth Freudenschuss, Clemens Huber, Bernadette Schönangerer: Roundtable presentation and discussion of diploma theses on the topic of sexualities and development
What can be definitively explored in the subject area of sex/gender/body/”development”? How can students of Development Studies translate theories into tangible and relevant research questions? What emerges thereby?
What will be presented are (queer theoretical) papers on AIDS and “abstinence” policies of the USA in Uganda (Bernadette Schönangerer), on gender norms and sexuality in publications of the German Development Service (Clemens Huber) and on sexual norms in preparation seminars for outgoing development aid workers (Elisabeth Freudenschuss).
The panel lectures and inputs will be held in German, discussions gladly in English as well as German. If needed, we can offer whispered or selective translations.