Since 1984, the Comparative Women’s and Gender Studies in Europe (WGSE) program has offered students a unique opportunity to explore feminist theory in practice across Europe. The program examines the trends and dynamics of European social, economic, and political systems as they influence contemporary gender theory, policy, and women’s identities. Following an orientation to the program, students participate in NOISE, a one-week summer school in WGS co-organized by Utrecht University and ATHENA, the European Network of Women’s Studies. After NOISE, the WGSE participants spend the rest of the semester studying WGS in Prague, Berlin, Krakow, and Utrecht/Amsterdam. Students come face to face with leading theories in WGS and have the opportunity to test their knowledge while working on their independent research projects. Participants attend lectures and take seminars with Director Iveta Jusová, PhD, as well as with NGOs, artists, activists, and professors from affiliated European universities.
Comparative Approach
A significant aim of the WGSE program is to explore Europe in its diversity and cross-culturally. With this goal in mind, the program takes students to several differently situated European nations while underscoring experiences of women and sexual, ethnic, and religious minorities in these respective national communities. Students learn about the struggles of the Roma women in the Czech Republic, the historical and current day experiences of the citizens of Jewish, Afro-German, and Turkish backgrounds in Germany, as well as about the ways in which Islamophobia bears on Muslim populations across Europe. These topics are addressed both through scholarly inquiry and situated empirical experience throughout the semester, framed through our discussions of post-colonial, feminist, and queer theories.
Accomodations and Meals
Students stay in hostels, hotels, and homestays throughout Europe. All lodging is arranged by the Program Director prior to the start of the program to ensure suitable and reliable accommodations. Specific accommodations will be detailed in informational packets sent prior to students’ departure for the program. Typically, accommodations include the following: homestays in Berlin and Prague; Strowis Hostel in Utrecht; and the Sodispar Apartments in Krakow.
When meals are not provided in the accommodations, students are given a stipend to purchase their meals. They can eat out or purchase groceries to cook (in most accommodations). Because students often select their own places to eat, we can accommodate most diets.
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