Mission statement
The Centre for Research on Culture and Gender is a hub for scholars across disciplinary divides working and/or interested in the broad categories of culture and gender as employed across the arts, humanities and social sciences. We are primarily interested in the study of culture from anthropological, decolonial, interpretive, materialist, feminist, posthumanist, queer and other critical perspectives.
Secondly, the centre employs historically and socio-culturally grounded understandings, practices and embodiments of gender as an analytical entry point for studying relations and shifting modes of becoming in culture and society. Inspired by feminist intersectional approaches to questions of power inequality and difference, categories of gender and sexuality, but also critical perspectives to ethnicity, nation, religion, class, age, and ability are among the research foci.
Methodologically, the centre attracts and is open to scholars employing qualitative research methods including but not limited to ethnography, interviewing, critical social research, participatory, collaborative and activist methods, ethical inquiry, historical research, discourse and visual analysis.
Through its activities, the centre offers a platform and meeting place for in-depth exchange on theory and empirical research among scholars at Ghent University, in connection and cooperation with other centres, groups, departments and universities in Belgium and internationally.
Vision
Through research, scholarly exchange, teaching and public events we aim to understand better and tackle key challenges surrounding issues of equity, diversity and participation in a world that is increasingly characterised by rigid demarcations of identity, disinformation and profound forms of injustice. The centre aspires to provide a critical space of solidarity where transformative knowledge is created and shared based on rigorous scientific research methods.
It aims to understand and critique mechanisms of cultural and social inequities based on axes such as ethnicity, gender and sexuality, while affirming and envisioning societal inclusion, political change and cultural creativity.