Great honor for gender commitment: Prizes awarded by the University of Bonn!

Great honor for gender commitment: Prizes awarded by the University of Bonn!

On April 26, 2024, the winners of the Gender Studies Prize 2023 and the Maria von Linden Equality Prize 2023 were honored at a festive ceremony at the University of Bonn. These awards, which are given by the Central Equal Opportunities Office, aim to recognize outstanding theses and dissertations in the field of gender studies and queer studies as well as the commitment to equality. What is particularly noteworthy is that the subjects of Latin and ancient American studies performed particularly well this year.

Among the winners of the Gender Studies Prize 2023 are two works that stand out for their innovative approach to gender issues. Marie Wurscher was honored for her bachelor's thesis in Latin and ancient American studies with the title "Collective self-organization as a strategy of empowerment for the acquisition of knowledge and space - an investigation at the interface between science and activism using the example of a feminist collective". Bianca Griech received the prize for her master's thesis in cultural studies on Latin America, which deals with "Dance as a deconstructive body practice. Self-image and physical experiences of queer tango dancers in Buenos Aires".

Commitment to equality

The Maria von Linden Prize, named after the first woman in Germany to receive the title of “Scientiae Naturalis Doctor” for her dissertation in 1895 and to be the first adjunct professor at the University of Bonn, recognizes the outstanding commitment to equality at the university. This year the prize was awarded to Sascha Sistenich, who advocates for equality in the anthropology teaching unit. He promotes queer content in teaching and organizes lecture series, including the "Gender Dialogues. Ethnological-cultural-anthropological conversations on gender".

The importance of gender and queer studies is recognized not only at the University of Bonn, but also in a broader context. Academic disciplines such as Gender & Queer Studies, Advanced Feminism and Diversity Studies aim to critically reflect on inequalities and power processes in society, art and science. These inter- and transdisciplinary areas aim to question and transform norms and role assignments in art practice, enabling comprehensive access to the understanding of science, art and cultures.

Support and encouragement

At the level of research and teaching institutions, supporting gender and queer studies students is of central importance. At the Mozarteum University, artistic and scientific practice is emphasized as research. Theoretical concepts are reflected in the context of structural and historical changes. The GenDivers Prize is awarded for outstanding student theses that correspond to the disciplines, while actively promoting student project ideas in these areas.

The integration of gender-queer-feminist and diversity-sensitive approaches into teaching is very important. Course offerings include not only introductions to gender studies, but also biographical research and supplementary studies in gender, diversity and arts to support individual profile development. These initiatives are designed to improve student employability and ensure that gender skills are seen as crucial.

The Central Equal Opportunities Office of the University of Bonn and similar institutions also encourage external scientists and artists to organize guest lectures and workshops to promote exchange and networking in these important areas. The ever-increasing support for projects and publications shows that the importance of equality and gender studies in the academic world has increased enormously.