First Bourdieu Lectures: Revolutionary debates on gender and power in Bielefeld!

First Bourdieu Lectures: Revolutionary debates on gender and power in Bielefeld!

On May 23, 2025, Bielefeld University announced that it was hosting the Bourdieu Lectures for the first time to commemorate the influential French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. Bourdieu is known for his profound theories on the concepts of habitus, capital and symbolic violence. The conference will take place on November 19th and 20th and has the theme “Gender – Domination – Visuality”. This choice of topic reflects Bourdieu's approach, which placed gender issues in the social context of power and visualization.

The event is organized in cooperation with the Pierre Bourdieu Foundation and the Kunsthalle Bielefeld. Interested scientists are invited to submit their contributions by May 31st. Submissions can include theoretical, methodological and empirical work. The first Bourdieu Lectures focus primarily on Bourdieu's work on gender domination, with submissions divided into four topic areas:

• Symbolische Gewalt und Geschlechterdoxa
• Kapital und Heteronormativität
• Sozialer Raum und Materialität
• Aktuelle geschlechtertheoretische Debatten

Submissions can take the form of individual contributions, poster presentations or workshops. Parallel to the conference, the Kunsthalle Bielefeld will show photographs from Bourdieu's ethnographic research in Algeria. This exhibition promises insights into Bourdieu's visual sociology and his methodological approaches, which are central to understanding his work.

Event program and speakers

The Bourdieu Lectures program includes keynotes from experienced scientists, including:

• Professorin Dr. Andrea Maihofer (Emerita der Universität Basel)
• Privatdozent Dr. Jens Kastner (Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien)
• Professorin Dr. Tomke König (Universität Bielefeld)
• Dr. Franz Schultheis (Zeppelin Universität)

The organization of the event is in the hands of Professor Dr. Ullrich Bauer (Bielefeld University), Dr. Uwe Bittlingmayer (Freiburg University of Education) and Dr. Franz Schultheis (Zeppelin University). They plan to shed light on the current research situation on Bourdieu's approaches in the field of social theory and gender studies.

Bourdieu's influence on science

Bourdieu's theories on symbolic violence and social differentiation have not only shaped sociology, but have also had far-reaching effects on disciplines such as political science, education, literary studies, gender studies and cultural studies. In this context, the work "Symbolic Violence. Analysis of Power according to Pierre Bourdieu", edited by Robert Schmidt and Volker Woltersdorff, is also highlighted, which illuminates the application of Bourdieu's concepts in various disciplines. The publication also offers an interdisciplinary orientation and takes into account the social institutions and power relations that shape Bourdieu's analyses.

In summary, the premiere of the Bourdieu Lectures is a significant event for Bielefeld University and the scientific community. The event promotes dialogue about the complex connections between gender, power and visuality within the framework of Bourdieu's theory. Those interested are encouraged to actively participate and contribute their findings to the discursive exchange.