Previous Courses
20114901 Lecture
Gender and Science: An Introduction
(Martina Erlemann)
What does gender have to do with natural sciences such as physics? When closely analysing the histories, cultures, practices and contents of the natural sciences, it becomes visible that gender and other social inequalities have an impact on the physical as well as on other natural sciences: from the underrepresentation of women in some sciences to gender differences in career outcomes up to gendered constructions in scientific theories, gender is relevant in various contexts of science. The course introduces to approaches, concepts and methods of Gender Studies for the natural sciences, putting a special focus on the physical sciences. The seminar is aimed at students of physics and other natural sciences. Interested students of the humanities and social sciences are also welcome.
20114902 Tutorial
Gender and Science
(Martina Erlemann)
20119611 Seminar
Physics and Society
(Martina Erlemann)
Physics is in many respects related to society: New findings of physical research are communicated in the media to an interested public. Citizens can participate in political decision-making e.g. on the risks of nanomaterials in consumer products or on the question how to find permanent disposals for nuclear waste. Citizen Science projects enable non-scientists to participate in research, e.g. in astrophysics. All these developments raise questions: Which images of science are conveyed to the public? Should scientists exert more influence on how physics is presented in the media? Should citizens have more say in scientific research, e.g. on the funding of research? How much should the public know about physics or science in general? Should scientists be responsible for the potential consequences of their research? These questions will be discussed in the seminar by means of studies from sociology of science that deal with these topics.
20001516 Research Seminar
Research Seminar on Gender and Science Studies of Physics
(Martina Erlemann)
In the research seminar, we will discuss current topics from Gender and Science Studies on physics. Participants are invited to present and discuss their research papers or projects as work-in-progress and to bring in individual research interests and topics. In the first unit we will decide jointly on themes and topics to be discussed.
20119411 Seminar
Lise Meitner war nicht die einzige. Physikerinnen gestern und heute
(Martina Erlemann)
Lise Meitner und Marie Curie zählen zu den berühmtesten historischen Physikerinnen, die auch über die Fachgrenzen hinaus sehr bekannt geworden sind. Aber es gibt in der Geschichte der Physik noch viele weitere Physikerinnen, die ebenfalls wichtige Beiträge zur Weiterentwicklung der Physik geleistet haben. Im Seminar werden wir zu diesen etwas weniger bekannten Physikerinnen Präsentationen erarbeiten und dabei Präsentationstechniken kennenlernen und einüben. Dabei soll es nicht nur um die Lebensgeschichte der Physikerinnen gehen, sondern ebenso um ihre Verdienste für die physikalische Forschung.
20107501 Seminar
AI, Data, Algorithm & Power
(Tanja Kubes)
There is hardly an area of our global, technological and social life in which artificial intelligence, data and algorithms do not play a role. When we talk about artificial intelligence, data and algorithms, we often focus on the ways in which these new technologies can support us. Think, for example, of how big data can help detect or even prevent certain diseases at an early stage. In the face of these great possibilities, we often forget that the technologies we are dealing with are all but neutral. They are always linked to relations of power and are loaded with sexism, racism and other forms of exclusion.
In order to conceptualise AI, data and algorithms in ways that are as non-discriminatory as possible, it is therefore crucial to consider the following questions: Who develops what (and for whom)? Who can make which decisions? Which aims are pursued in which developments and which are, in turn, excluded? In the seminar, we will look at current debates on AI, data, algorithm and power and discuss examples (facial recognition systems, social credit system, predictive policing, etc.) from an ethical, feminist, and intersectional perspective.
Winter term 2021/2022
20124101 Seminar
Social Inscriptions in Science
(Tanja Kubes)
While we like to think of natural sciences as objective and reality-based, much of what scientists do in their research is heavily biased by unconscious assumptions about the world and the role of science and scientists. Ignoring those social inscriptions in scientific practice and priority setting not only wastes time and money, it reinforces existing inequalities and injustices and may, in the worst case, even cost human lives. Automobile crash tests or marketing authorisation procedures for medicinal products for example often are heavily biased towards normal weight, medium size male users, resulting in products that in some cases proved dangerous or even deadly for users not meeting the physical norm of the test subjects.
The seminar addresses gender as one critical (and easily detectable) factor in scientific research and writing and will identify elements in the scientific discourse that reproduce traditional biases and prejudices. Discussing recent case studies on “gendered innovations”, we shall take a closer look at the latent role of gender, sex, and intersectionality for the development of scientific knowledge and “truth” and develop a reflexive awareness of our role as scientists.
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20124011 Seminar
Kritische Wissenschaftsforschung
(Tanja Kubes)
Was hat Geschlecht mit Wissenschaft und der Produktion von Wissen zu tun? Was ist eine gendersensible Reflexion in Bezug auf Wissen und Wissenschaft(en)? Und welche Konsequenzen hat diese Betrachtungsweise für die Naturwissenschaften im Allgemeinen und die Physik im Speziellen?
Da Wissenschaft von Menschen betrieben wird, sind Wissenschaft und Wissensproduktion aus soziokultureller Perspektive weder objektiv noch neutral. Für eine kritische Auseinandersetzung mit Wissenschaft und Wissensproduktion ist eine Gender-Perspektiven in den Natur- und Technikwissenschaften deshalb unabdingbar.
Im Seminar erlernen Sie grundlegende Präsentationstechniken und wenden diese auf Beispiele aus der kritischen Wissenschaftsforschung an. Thematisch werden wir dabei einen Blick über den Mainstream-Tellerrand werfen und uns vor allem auf feministische Theorien und deren Akteur*innen konzentrieren.
20119411 Seminar
Lise Meitner war nicht die einzige: Leben und Forschung von Physikerinnen gestern und heute
(Martina Erlemann)
Lise Meitner und Marie Curie zählen wohl zu den berühmtesten historischen Frauenfiguren in der Geschichte der Physik, die auch über die Fachgrenzen hinaus sehr bekannt geworden sind. Aber es gibt noch viele weitere Physikerinnen, die ebenfalls wichtige Beiträge zur Weiterentwicklung der Physik geleistet haben. Im Seminar wollen wir, neben Lise Meitner und Marie Curie, Biographien dieser etwas weniger bekannten Physikerinnen erarbeiten. Dabei soll es nicht nur um die Lebensgeschichte dieser Frauen gehen, sondern ebenso um ihre Bedeutung für die physikalische Forschung.
20119611 Seminar
Physics and Society
(Martina Erlemann)
Physics is in many respects related to society: New findings of physical research are communicated in the media to an interested public. Citizens can participate in political decision-making e.g. on the risks of nanomaterials in consumer products or on the question how to find permanent disposals for nuclear waste. Citizen Science projects enable non-scientists to participate in research, e.g. in astrophysics. All these developments raise questions: Which images of science are conveyed to the public? Should scientists exert more influence on how physics is presented in the media? Should citizens have more say in scientific research, e.g. on the funding of research? How much should the public know about physics or science in general? Should scientists be responsible for the potential consequences of their research? These questions will be discussed in the seminar by means of studies from sociology of science that deal with these topics.
20114901 Lecture
Gender and Science: An Introduction
(Martina Erlemann)
What does gender have to do with natural sciences such as physics? When closely analysing the histories, cultures, practices and contents of the natural sciences, it becomes visible that gender and other social inequalities have an impact on the physical as well as on other natural sciences: from the underrepresentation of women in some sciences to gender differences in career outcomes up to gendered constructions in scientific theories, gender is relevant in various contexts of science. The course introduces to approaches, concepts and methods of Gender Studies for the natural sciences, putting a special focus on the physical sciences. The seminar is aimed at students of physics and other natural sciences. Interested students of the humanities and social sciences are also welcome.
20114902 Tutorial
Gender and Science
(Martina Erlemann)
Date: Tue, 2pm - 4pm. More here.
Begin: 26.10.2021
20001516 Research Seminar
Research Seminar on Gender and Science Studies of Physics
(Martina Erlemann)
In the research seminar, we will discuss current topics from Gender and Science Studies on physics. Participants are invited to present and discuss their research papers or projects as work-in-progress and to bring in individual research interests and topics. In the first unit we will decide jointly on themes and topics to be discussed.