Lecturers: Melissa Moreano (Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, Ecuador) and Diana Vela
Almeida (Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University)
Supporting departments: Department of Political Science, Department of Social and
Cultural Anthropology, Department of Development Studies
Organisers: Nina Schlosser, Anna Preiser, Valerie Lenikus, Marie Jasser, Marcela Torres,
Alina Heuser, Tamara Artacker

This workshop seeks to explore the theoretical and methodological contributions generated
from critical feminist perspectives to analyse social processes around care or modes of reproduction. Feminist perspectives have been fundamental in providing new analyses to
understand the dynamics of power in diverse social dynamics, such as the production of
inequalities, socio-environmental conflicts, and diverse forms of violence from intersectional
perspectives. In addition, they have provided important methodological reflections, addressing
complex ethical and political issues involved in the research processes. Latin American
feminisms have been and still are at the forefront of producing new methodological and
theoretical approaches rooted in social movements and territorialised resistances. In this
workshop, we aim to understand how we as European-based scholars can fruitfully implement
and learn from those approaches.

The workshop will be held by guest professors Melissa Moreano and Diana Vela Almeida. As
an important premise of feminist research, the workshop aims at creating a space of critical
reflection and collective learning, in which theory and methodology are woven together. It
intends to provide a setting to delve into a comprehensive discussion on feminist perspectives,
with a primary focus on approaches developed in Latin America. However, this exploration
extends beyond regional boundaries, encompassing diverse geographical contexts. It
underscores the importance of acknowledging societal nature relations from diverse
epistemologies while addressing key feminist issues such as care, reproduction, and life in
ecological contexts.

Another focus encompasses the practical application of feminist research in social sciences. On the one hand, it explores how feminist aspects can be integrated into research, even when they
are not explicitly articulated as a research subject. On the other hand, it emphasises the
incorporation of feminist theory, practices, and empirical analyses in social sciences research,
while addressing its methodological implications and challenges regarding issues of reciprocity
and positionality.

The international workshop offers the possibility for doctoral candidates of the ViDSS to participate in methodological training as a complement to existing course programs. It provides a
rich understanding of feminist theory as well as research methods and offers a transdisciplinary
platform for discussing theoretical approaches, and their methodological operationalisation of
the individual PhD projects, without neglecting ethical practices in the field.

Participants: Student members of the Vienna Doctoral School of Social Sciences (ViDSS).
If places are available, doctoral candidates in the social sciences who are not (yet) ViDSS
members or doctoral candidates from other faculties can join. Doctoral candidates receive 2
ECTS upon participation. Postdoctoral researchers may apply but doctoral candidates will be
prioritised. Female* students will be prioritised.

Application: Please apply via e-mail to Anna Preiser (anna.preiser@univie.ac.at ) and Valerie
Lenikus (valerie.lenikus@univie.ac.at), including your motivation to participate in this
workshop (max. half a page). Thematic or practical knowledge in this field is not required.
Max. number of participants: 15
Application deadline: 4 October 2024

Preliminary program

Monday (4 November 2024)
09:00–10:30 Introduction (collective mapping and positionality of participants)
10:30–11:00 Coffee break
11:00–12:00 Lecture: theoretical talk with specific references to methods
Themes:
• Feminists perspectives on the production of inequalities
• Feminist spatialication of injustices and violences
12:00–13:00 Lunch break
13:00–14:30 Assembly: collective learning process through triggering questions and texts,
aiming to produce multidirectional reflections
14:30–15:00 Coffee break
15:00–17:00 Workshop: short talk about methodological experiences (30 min) and
methodological practice in peer groups (1.30 h)
Topics: Feminist questionings to academic practices and epistemic violence

Tuesday (5 November 2024)
09:00–10:00 collective discussion and co-construction to carry out a practice of intervention
in the public space
10:00–10:30 Coffee break
10:30–12:00 Assembly: collective learning process through triggering questions and texts,
aiming to produce multidirectional reflections
12:00–13:30 Lunch break
13:30–15:30 Workshop: short talk about methodological experiences (30 min) and
methodological practice in peer groups.
Topic: Feminist proposals for analysis, reflection and political praxis
15:30–16:00 Coffee break
16:00–17:00 Lecture: theoretical talk with specific references to methods
Topics:
• Popular, indigenous, territorial, communitarian feminisms
• Care work, social reproduction and reproduction of life
19:00 Dinner (self-financed)

Wednesday (6 November 2024)
09:00–10:30 Final round
10:30–12:00 Tour with Decolonizing in Vienna – intervention in the public space