Research seminar Gender and Postcolonial Studies (2025/2026: Period 1)

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Course aim


On completion of the course, the student has:
- knowledge of humanities research traditions, and gender studies, postcolonial studies, decolonial theory and / or queer theory in particular;
- knowledge of methods for humanities research, and interdisciplinary gender studies methods in particular;
- knowledge of feminist and postcolonial criticism of dominant forms of knowledge production;
- developed an ability to describe and justify the chosen methods;
- developed an ability to reflect on choices.

After completion of the course, the student can:
- distill research questions and methods used from academic literature and relate critically to the findings;
- position oneself in critical debates about knowledge production;
- write a research design;
- operationalize a research question;
- describe and account for a methodological approach;
- conduct and report upon an analysis.

Course content

In Research Seminar: Gender and Postcolonial Studies, the different steps of the research cycle in interdisciplinary gender studies are covered and further explored. Central to the course is humanities oriented research and interdisciplinary gender and postcolonial studies in particular. Students are trained to link a gender and / or postcolonial and / or decolonial and / or queer studies perspective to phenomena of their choice, such as language, culture, history, philosophy, communication, information, media & culture. Students set up a research project and then carry out the subprojects. In addition, students keep a research diary throughout the course in which they describe and reflect on their research activities.

This research seminar functions as a bridge between the TCS / LAS hoofdrichting Gender & Postcolonial Studies and the Bachelor's Thesis Gender and Postcolonial Studies and, together with this thesis, forms the final part of the Bachelor's program.

For other students, this is the bridge between the minor Gender Studies or the minor Postcolonial Studies and the Bachelor's Thesis Gender and Postcolonial Studies and, together with this thesis, forms the final part of the Bachelor's program.

Students are advised not to register for courses that (partly) overlap with the timeslots of this course.

Additional information

SEM II
Please note: the time slot shown here is not yet final, and may still be modified until the third Wednesday in September

Instructional formats

Seminar
Explanation

During the tutorials, the different steps in the thesis research process are explored week by week. The tutorials are also intended as a research lab in which students set to work on their own gender studies research project.

Preparation

Students read the prescribed texts carefully (sometimes 'close reading') and look for suitable additional literature that is relevant to their own area of interest (language, culture, history, philosophy, literature, media, culture).

Examination

Paper

Required | Weight 70% | Minimum grade 5.5 | ECTS 5.25

The paper concerns a thesis research design. This is assessed on the basis of: the demarcation of the research question, sub-questions, theoretical framework, methodological framework, motivation and data collection. The portfolio is a research diary that is assessed on completeness, argumentation and reflection. A presentation of the preliminary research design will be given in class during the second half of the course.

Presentation

Required | Weight 30% | Minimum grade 5.5 | ECTS 2.25

The presentation should highlight the proposed research including the social and academic context in which it the envisioned thesis is situated, central research question and main theoretical concepts, method/approach and (examples of) the material of analysis. Assessment: Structure (clear, connected, coherent slides); Length (adequate time schedule); Presentation skills (acceptable pace, clarity in providing answers); Content (adequate contextualization and theoretical framing).

Entry requirements and preknowledge

Entry Requirements

No data about mandatory entry requirements is available.

Preknowledge

TCS/LAS students: Core package Gender & Postcolonial Studies Other students: must be advanced in the minor Gender/Postcolonial Studies. At least two of the four minor courses must have been completed with a passing grade.

Prerequisite knowledge can be obtained through

Minor Gender Studies: Block 1 Historiography of Feminist Ideas Block 2 Politics of Representation Block 3 Gender, Ethnicity and Religion Block 4 Visuality and Technology Minor Postcolonial Studies: Block 1 Postcolonial Theory Block 2 Postcolonial Configurations: Gender, Race and Culture Block 3 Postcolonial Europe Block 4 Framing Violence

Languages

  • English

Course Iterations

Related studies

Exams

There is no timetable available of the exams

Required Materials

  • BOEK
    Hesse-Biber, Sharlene Nagy. (2013) Feminist Research Practice: A Primer, Los Angeles: SAGE.

Recommended Materials

  • BOEK
    Ramazanoglu, C. & Holland, J. (2003). Feminist methodology. London: Sage.
  • BOEK
    Buikema, R. & Plate, L & Thiele, K. (eds) (2018) ‘Doing Gender in Media, Art and Culture. A Comprehensive Guide to Gender Studies’, 2nd Edition. London: Routledge.
  • BOEK
    Leurs, K. & Olivieri, D. (eds) (2015). Everyday feminist research praxis. Newcastle: CSP.

Coördinator

L.I. Candidatu l.i.candidatu@uu.nl

Lecturers

L.M.A. Autar l.m.a.autar@uu.nl
L.I. Candidatu l.i.candidatu@uu.nl
I.H. Hansen i.h.hansen@uu.nl
C. Sturgess c.sturgess@uu.nl

Enrolment

Attention: this course is not open to students from other faculties, so subsidiary students can't enroll for this course.

Enrollment
From Monday 2 June 2025 up to and including Friday 20 June 2025

Go to OSIRIS-enrolments
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