Interdisciplinary approaches to gender archaeology

Discover the role of women in the past and their implications in their communities

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CIVIS focus area
Society, culture, heritage
Open to
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Phd
Field of studies
  • Natural Sciences and Mathematics
  • Social Science and humanities
Type
  • Short-term
Course dates
4 - 10 July 2022

This CIVIS course explores the research lines within archaeology and history which are linked to the material culture of women. It aims to provide a holistic approach to gender archaeology through diverse paths of investigation including archaeological excavation, human osteology, stable isotopes, ancient DNA, proteomics, organic residue analysis, education and museum studies.  

Main topics addressed 

 This CIVIS course will address the following main topics:

  • International perspectives on gender archaeology and gender equality in academia
  • Pregnancy, motherhood and infancy in past societies
  • Female representation in art and iconography
  • Role of women in education and heritage

Learning outcomes 

Students will learn how to apply the gender perspective in archaeology, specifically in prehistory, and to identify this approach based on several cases studies in different formats: written documents, images, press media, scientific reports and exhibitions. They will consider not only several topics involving women role and impact in the past (child care, funerary practices, art…), but also how different fields of research have evolved to take into account the question of gender (genetic analysis to determine the sex of human remains, proteomics to investigate weaning practices…), and how the results are conveyed in museum exhibitions, public archaeology and media.

Dates: 4 - 10 July 2022 Format: Blended 
Language: English (B2) ECTS: 4
Location: Tübingen, Germany N° of CIVIS scholarships: 30

The course will consist of five days of lectures, practical sessions and museum visits followed by a one-day excursion.

The course is organised following a hybrid format (both face-to-face and online options running at the same time) for both students and instructors, but presence is preferred whenever possible. The course will be held in Tübingen, Germany, depending on the Covid-related restrictions that will be in force in Germany at that moment. Selected students (except for students from the University of Tübingen) will be supported by a mobility grant for their travel and stay in Germany.

The recognition of ECTS depends on your home University. 

Requirements

This blended mobility course is open to Bachelor's, Master and PhD students at the nine CIVIS member universities enrolled or interested in the following field of study: archaeology, prehistory, museum studies, education, scientific Analyses.

A B2 level of English is required.

Application process

Students should apply by 30 January 2022 by filling in the following form: https://forms.gle/NyLFKLEyyFMikZde9

Selected students will be notified on 15 March 2022.

Assessment

Before the Summer School: students will have to provide five pages of text describing a topic of their choice (among those they currently study or conduct research on) under the light of gender perspectives.

During the Summer School: students will be asked to give a short (ca. 5-10 minutes) oral presentation summarising the outcome of each afternoon session of group work.

After the Summer School: the students will be asked to write an essay (ca. 3000 words) of some given topics distributed and briefly discussed during the course.

Each part will be evaluated by a committee of participating instructors.

The criteria for the evaluation are the following:

  • Relevance of the topic of their own research under the Gender perspective
  • Active participation in discussions and efficiency in practical sessions
  • Impact and applicability of the group presentation topic
  • Coherence and sustainability of the essay based on the acquired knowledge

GDPR Consent

The CIVIS alliance and its member universities will treat the information you provide with respect. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information on our privacy practices. By applying to this course you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

Dr. Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla

Dr. Marta Díaz-Zorita Bonilla is a Research Fellow at the Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters and the scientific coordinator of the Archaeometry Centre at the University of Tübingen. She holds a Bachelor in History (University of Seville), a Master in Osteoarchaeology (Southampton University), a Master in Education (University of Seville) and a PhD in Archaeology (Durham University). She has expertise in Bioarchaeology, looking at funerary patterns and social structure from the Neolithic until the Bronze Age period in Europe. In addition, she applies isotope analysis to investigate mobility patterns during the Late Prehistory of Europe and the connections to the western Mediterranean.

Dr. habil. Dorothée Drucker

Dr. habil. Dorothée Drucker is a Research Fellow of the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (SHEP) at the University of Tübingen. She holds a Bachelor in Biochemistry (University of Paris-VII-Diderot), a Master in Physical Sciences applied to European Archaeological Heritage (University of Bordeaux-III-Montaigne), and a PhD in Biogeochemistry (University of Paris-VI-Pierre et Marie Curie). She is specialised in stable isotope study of Late Pleistocene and Holocene teeth and bones with a focus on climatic influences on the ecology of animals and the evolution of the human diet in ancient hunter-gatherers.

Dr. Sibylle Wolf

Dr. Sibylle Wolf is a scientific member and scientific coordinator at the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment (SHEP) at the University of Tübingen. She did her Master thesis in prehistory (Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz). She holds a PhD in Prehistory (Eberhard Karls University Tübingen). In 2017 she got the Kurt-Bittel-award of the City Heidenheim for her dissertation. She works with archaeological artefacts made from mammoth ivory of the Upper Palaeolithic. She specialises in personal ornaments, as well as in the analysis of female statuettes of the Upper Palaeolithic.