Graduate Conference  In collaboration with the International Doctoral Network in Women’s and Gender History and with the Gender History Research Center at the University of Naples l’Orientale, the Department of History, the Gender Studies Group and the Doctoral Academy in Theory and Methods at the University of Vienna will convene a Graduate Conference on Rethinking Gender. The conference will be held from September 4-7, 2016 in the castle of Drosendorf, located in a scenic Austrian town close to Vienna. The aim of the conference is to bring together graduate students of history who use gender theories as an important tool of their historical investigations.  The category of gender is no longer confined to women’s and gender studies, but has started to influence research and writing in a broad variety of fields: from international relations to environmental questions, from body politics to the governance of technology. Depending on the theoretical framework and the field of research, gender is used in very different ways: from a synonym for men and women to an analytical instrument, conceived either as performative, as relational or as intersectional.  In this workshop we would like to explore the analytical potential of gender in historical research projects which are not mainly concerned with gender theory. We therefore especially invite applications from graduate students who use the concept of gender in one way or another to explore the history of power and institutions, economy and property transfer, family and social networks, communication and globalization, science, technology and knowledge. We expect you to discuss briefly your findings and focus on the impact that gender theory has on the development of your research design and your writing.

The language of the conference will be English. Keynote speakers will be announced.

Each paper will be given one hour for presentation and discussion. The time for the presentation is limited to 20 minutes. The discussion will start with a substantial comment by a senior scholar and then open up to the entire group.  Food and housing will be provided by the organizing institutions. Unfortunately, we will not be able to cover travel expenses.  Please submit proposals (500 words max) and CV (150 words max) in English by April 30, 2016 to the following e-mail address: birgit.aubrunner@univie.ac.at

Acceptance notices will be sent by May 23, 2016. Accepted papers must be sent in by July 31, 2015.