BÜRO FÜR

GLEICHSTELLUNGSFRAGEN

Corona has completely changed the lives of many women, at least in Germany, catapulting them back into role models that were thought to have been overcome. At least that is what recent studies by Prof. Dr. Heike Ohlbrecht from the Department of Microsociology say. According to Ohlbrecht, it was the inequalities that had already been socially generated and legitimized before Corona that were reinforced in the pandemic. Adjustments in working hours, work restrictions and loss of income became a reality primarily for mothers. They were increasingly affected by dissatisfaction with their work situation, fears about their jobs, and concerns of a financial nature. The burden of childcare and homeschooling, for example, was borne primarily by women. In an interview, the sociologist spoke at length about what she sees as a return to old role models, who is particularly affected and, above all, how we can find our way out of this dilemma. Read the full interview here

Since 2018, workshops on university didactics have been held regularly on various topics to support lecturers in their desire for a more in-depth professionalization strategy. In this context, the certificate "Professional Academic Lecturing" (PAL) was designed and implemented. With the lecturing certificate, a comprehensive lecturing development program exists at OVGU that offers lecturers a space for exchange, innovation, and continuing education. In cooperation with the Office for Gender Equality at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, the labor: LEHRE team also regularly offers workshops in the elective area "Gender and Diversity" of the lecturing certificate to raise awareness for equal opportunities and gender equality in lecturing. How can students be better reached and supported in their diversity? How can examination situations be designed in a gender- and diversity-conscious way? These and similar questions are addressed in the workshops and offer lecturers the opportunity to learn about suitable methods and approaches. The workshops take place regularly in four academies per year and are available to OVGU faculty free of charge. If we have piqued your interest, we look forward to welcoming you to the upcoming (online) workshops. An overview of the offerings as well as further information can be found here.

Whether Big Player or Hidden Champignon, also digitally the Hannover Messe from April 12 to 16, 2021 is the most important international platform for all technologies around the industrial transformation. The OVGU is participating through the joint stand of the universities and colleges of the state of Saxony-Anhalt with a total of five projects. Researchers and start-ups from the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and medical technology will present their innovations and products to visitors to the trade fair. In various lecture channels, visitors to the fair can expect varied contributions, livestreams, product presentations and much more. Registration to visit the platform is possible here.

From March 20, 2021, it will be possible for all sports-mad parents and children to sign up for the new course units in the "Family in Motion" (FiB) project and really work up a sweat together. Then, hopefully, it will finally be possible to switch from the online version to outside at the OVGU's calisthenics facility in Zschokkestraße, which has been remodeled to be suitable for children. Those who would like to take a first look at the courses and get an impression can also still enroll in the courses that are already running (participation is free of charge).
Contact: Jule Sander

The mentoring and coaching program Saxony-Anhalt MeCoSa goes into extension and started in March 2021 with new offers. In addition to workshops, coaching and networking opportunities, participants will again have the chance to discover the instrument of mentoring for themselves. Digital start for this is on March 16, 2021 at 3 pm. Female students and young researchers are cordially invited to participate. Registration is possible at any time by emailing Maria Rosenbaum.

In spring, the online participation campaign "Move against cancer" of the Living with Cancer Foundation offers the opportunity to support people with cancer. OVGU Magdeburg has taken on a sponsorship for the project. Dedicate your activities during the campaign period from April 1 to May 2, 2021 to this great campaign and document them with the free app of the same name. You can enter as an individual participant or as a team of 4 people. Now it is called: Download the app and document your movement! And on September 5, 2021, it continues with the charity regatta "Rowing against Cancer". It is also supported by the university. With the proceeds of the regatta, the foundation supports the offer of the Tumor Center Magdeburg/ Saxony-Anhalt e. V. "Active with Cancer" especially for people with cancer in acute therapy.

Contact:
Silke Springer, Phone: 0391 67-58825
Dr. Mario Damerow, Phone: 0391 67-58852
Dr. Julia Noack, Phone: 0391 67-15955

On 27.02.2021 "Women's Places around Freyburg" were presented on MDR Saxony-Anhalt. Elisabeth of Thuringia lived and worked at Neuenburg Castle above the small winegrowing town of Freyburg. She was canonized for her good deeds in 1235. But there are other places to discover. Further extensive information on women's places in Saxony-Anhalt can be found here:

https://frauenorte.net/

The funding will focus on the following topics: Status-quo analyses and empirical findings on science-internal approaches to knowledge transfer, effectiveness potentials of existing science-internal transfer approaches; prerequisites for success and obstacles to transfer in the science system; transdisciplinarity as a successful path to transfer?; knowledge transfer in science and university research as well as a systematic research overview on the topic of "transfer research" and digitalization in science-internal knowledge transfer. In the first stage of the procedure, project outlines are to be submitted to the DLR Project Management Agency by 19.04.2021. Further information

Smart ideas are in demand as the state capital of Magdeburg awards its 6th Environmental Prize for the use of renewable energies and thus CO2 savings as well as solutions for climate protection and climate adaptation, for example to avoid additional consumption and to use resources sparingly. Applications are possible until April 30, 2021. The award is primarily intended to honor outstanding achievements in achieving the goal of developing Magdeburg into a model city for renewable energies. The total prize money amounts to 12,000 euros. You can find detailed information here

The humanities and social sciences are bound to culture and language. Language and culture are their object and their medium. In order to sustainably promote exchange and networking between humanities researchers and social scientists from Germany, France and Italy and to explicitly support the use of German, French and Italian as scientific languages, the DFG, the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l'Homme (FMSH) and Villa Vigoni have developed the program "Trilateral Research Conferences", in which multilingualism is a supporting principle. Applications for funding are welcome from all subjects in the humanities and social sciences until 30.04.2021. Further informationen

In 2021, the Magdeburg district association of the VDI would again like to honor young engineers and scientists for outstanding achievements with the VDI sponsorship award. Both doctoral theses and dissertations as well as practical-technical work can be honored. Proposals can be submitted by the supervisors or students until April 30, 2021. Further information and the application form can be found here

The funding projects should be aimed at different target groups such as the interested public, children and young people, students and young scientists, and as intermediary target groups at multipliers in science, education, culture and the media and politics. Civil society partners (clubs, museums, associations) can act as collaborative partners. Methodologically, innovative formats are required that aim at interaction, dialogue, and/or participation. Projects on topics from all scientific disciplines as well as with interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary focuses will be considered, which can be assigned to the five overarching thematic fields of the Year of Science 2022: among others, society, politics, economy, security as well as culture, education, knowledge. In the first application stage, project outlines are to be submitted to the DLR project management organization by May 7, 2021. Further information

The networks HERA (Humanities in the European Research Area) and NORFACE have developed a joint research funding program that addresses the impact of digitization on culture and society: "Transformations: Social and cultural dynamics in the digital age". The announcement was published on 09.03.2021 and will address scientists from 23 countries with a funding pot of about 36 million euros. Scientists are invited to conduct joint research on the topics of culture and cultural transformations as well as digitalization and social transformations. The aim is to support collaborations of at least 4 partners from four of the participating countries in the above-mentioned thematic areas. In addition to innovative research, the projects are expected to include social knowledge transfer activities. The application procedure is two-stage, the deadline for the first phase is 07.05.2021. Further informationen

Funding is available for research projects by junior research groups from the social sciences, political sciences and economics, but also from the cultural sciences and humanities at universities or non-university research and science institutions. The funding aims to understand the transformation to a bioeconomy in all its facets as comprehensively as possible, to analyze and evaluate its effects, and to identify consequences and options for action. In particular, projects are welcomed that examine the relationship between bioeconomic transformation processes and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the basis of concrete questions. In the first stage of the procedure, project outlines are to be submitted to the project management organization by 15.07.2021.  Further information

In March/April, a series of online trainings of the Gender Equality Academy on the topic "Gender dimension in research" is still running, which is specifically aimed at researchers in medicine, mobility, energy and computer science. The free trainings are held in English and partly build on each other. To the online trainings

On March 24, 2021, the European Commission will provide information on "How to prepare a successful proposal in Horizon Europe". There are two main points on the agenda: "Submission and peer review" and "Model Grant AgOnline event "How to prepare a successful proposal in Horizon Europe "reement." This first Horizon Europe webinar will take place from 10:00 - 16:15 via YouTube. You can open the agenda and the registration form with the given links.

The Technical University of Kaiserslautern cordially invites you to participate in the digital event series on sexualized violence and abuse of power. The series has already started, but the following dates are still to come:

• 08.04.2021 Masculinity and Violence - Of Perpetrators, Victims and Gender Images
• 29.04.2021 Sexualized Violence and Interculturality - Democracy is Measured by Women's Rights
• 12.05.2021 Abuse of power in hierarchical gradient and exploitation of 'dependencies'
• 31.05.2021 Bullying of men and women by men and women respectively
• 17.06.2021 Prostitution - the objectification of the female body

The events will take place from 14:00-15:30. You can find more information and registration instructions here

The new EU framework program for research and innovation "Horizon Europe" started on January 1 of this year, runs from 2021-2027 and has a budget of 95.5 billion euros. The information event on April 15, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. (online) is aimed at stakeholders from research, business and municipalities from all over Saxony-Anhalt. Together with the speakers of the National Contact Point "Digital and Industrial Technologies" (NKS DIT), funding opportunities in the field of digitization and industrial technologies in HORIZON Europe will be presented.
Topics include:

• Micro-/Nanoelectronics
• Photonics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics
• Process industry
• Next Generation Internet
• Advanced computing systems
• EU Space Systems and Services

Furthermore, there will be a field report from a successful applicant in the predecessor program Horizon 2020. Participation in the event is free of charge. Further information on the program can be found on the event page of the EU University Network Saxony-Anhalt.

Notes on registration:

You can register here as of now. Participants will receive the dial-in link for the event at least one day before the event.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation Saxony-Anhalt is organizing the online seminar "Diversity-sensitive event planning" on April 17, 2021. This training will shed light on how to make the planning of events sensitive to diversity in order to achieve the greatest possible openness for all possible participants. Registrations will be accepted as soon as possible. The costs are 35 Euro or reduced 15 Euro. Further information and the possibility to register can be found here.

Why do the "Z-Schnitzel" and the "N-kuss" have no place on menus anymore? How do I actually pronounce the gender asterisk and who is still allowed to hold the door open for whom? What effect does what I say - and how I say it - have? In some cases, language and phrasing are habits that are no longer appropriate or fair to everyone. The VHS-Bildungswerk is organizing the online workshop "Because nicely meant is not enough!" on May 6, 2021, with the aim of providing information about non-discriminatory language. The cost of participation is 119 euros. Registration is requested as soon as possible. The workshop takes up this problem. No language regulations are to be made, but to be helped to find depreciating words and formulations. Participants will be supported in developing and using non-discriminatory language. For more information and to register as soon as possible, click here

The Global Innovation Summit 2021 is an international forum for exchange and networking among companies, innovators and researchers. Participants can expect high-level key notes, panel discussions, as well as workshops and other networking formats on international collaboration and funding opportunities. The Global Innovation Summit will take place from May 18-20, 2021, in a primarily virtual format. Participation is free of charge. Further information on the program and registration

At family get-togethers, while carpooling, or in the pub with your buddies - time and again you encounter sexist remarks or are even confronted with anti-feminist positions: "You're not even allowed to give women compliments anymore," "Equality? We've actually already got that!", "Gender studies want to sexualize our children at an early age!" But when is a clear edge needed, when are substantive arguments and when an understanding exchange? How do I react as a person affected and how do I react as someone who is first standing by? This interactive online workshop, which lasts several hours, offers the opportunity to exchange ideas about strategies for action against sexist and anti-feminist positions and to try them out in practice. The workshop is open to all genders. The workshop is limited to a maximum of 14 participants. To the registration

Whether you are a student, graduate, experienced professional, returning to work, manager or simply ambitious - if you want to be successful in your career, are looking for family-friendly employers or are aiming for a management position in a company, come to women&work! The leading European trade fair & congress for women and careers will be held in digital format on May 29 from 10:00 to 16:00. At the job fair, you can make contact with nearly 130 top employers and explore career opportunities. Those who already have more specific ideas about their own professional future or, in the case of a job change, know specifically who their new employer of choice should be, can register now until May 21 for pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings. Treat yourself to a day a year full of inspiration, new contacts, valuable ideas and lots of conversations. The visit of women&work is free of charge. More information will follow shortly on the women&work website.

The #MeToo debate, which has shaken the international media, art and culture scene in particular since 2017, also increased attention at universities in Germany for the previously strongly taboo subject area of sexualized discrimination and violence. The conference "MeToo in Science" addresses this complex situation with two events in order to intensify the discussion about structural and legal framework conditions as well as to exchange ideas about innovative prevention measures. The first part of the conference (17.06.2021, 16:00-19:30) will deal with the legal framework. The second part of the conference (01.07.2021, 16:00-19:30) focuses on the possibilities of appropriate and innovative prevention to prevent and counter sexualized discrimination and violence at universities. Further information

Body language, inner and outer posture and use of voice are central to the "first impression" and often convey more than the spoken word. Therefore, expertise, argumentation skills and commitment also become effective instruments of persuasion only through a confident voice and credible body language. The workshop "PRESENCE!" is designed to empower women to place their content in discussions, presentations or negotiations confidently, authentically and assertively, to take space and make themselves heard. Against the backdrop of a brief theoretical introduction to gender and body language, participants will reflect on their own body language patterns as well as inner imprints and beliefs. Then, using creative methods and techniques from acting and improvisation, participants will learn to reflect on their own attitude(s) towards themselves and the outside world, to further develop their individual voice and speech potentials, and to expand their body language repertoire in order to act with more presence in the room. Target groups of this seminar are socially and politically engaged women. To the registration

The third international conference on "European Studies" will take place in Milan from 14-16.06.2021. The conference gathers international researchers from different fields of economics and social sciences with the aim of contributing to the empirical and theoretical debate on Europe. The conference will provide a discussion forum for researchers interested in the economic, social and political situation in Europe, as well as in the evaluation and design of institutions and policies in and for Europe. The registration modalities as well as detailed information can be found here

In her speech on the occasion of International Women's Day, Commission President von der Leyen highlighted the work of women scientists in developing the COVID19 vaccines used in Europe. She also addressed five other points:

• By the end of this year, the European Commission intends to launch a legislative initiative against violence against women; a public consultation is currently underway for this purpose, in which the public can participate until May 10.
• Women are to be at the center of the "NextGeneration EU" recovery plan to overcome the crisis.
• The Commission has adopted its action plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. This will require creating attractive working conditions for women and men.
• The Commission has proposed a directive on pay transparency.
• The Commission President wants to advocate quotas in corporate bodies.

Research Commissioner Mariya Gabriel participated in an EIC and EIT event "Smashing the glass ceiling: in conversation with the women driving Europe's deep tech future" on the morning of Women's Day, the recording of which can still be viewed online.

By the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Action Plan for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in External Action 2021-2025 (GAP III) was presented. This Action Plan provides the EU with a policy framework with five main areas for action and establishes gender equality as a priority for all external policies and actions. For more information, see the European Commission press release.

Representations of queer femmes and queer femininity in queer feminism are currently more or less a visual as well as empirical exception in German subcultural and academic discourses. This is surprising, since women's emancipation and self-determination form fundamental themes of feminist movements (cf. e.g. Lenz 2009). So what sociological explanations can be found for the liaison of visuality and belonging in queer feminism? Continue reading

An important aspect that is currently receiving a lot of attention is the accessibility of gender- or diversity-sensitive language and the possibility to gender in plain language. In his blog post "Does the gender asterisk discriminate against blind people?", Heiko Kunert vividly describes the pitfalls of gender-sensitive language and different screen readers. Heiko Kunert concludes that blind people, "just like sighted people, will get used to asterisk, underscore or colon", because it can be assumed that "in the coming years, speech output will also learn how best to read out counter-gendered texts". Finally, Kunert emphasizes that especially people with learning difficulties face greater challenges with counter-gendered texts. Lucia Rocktäschel provides tips on how gendering can also succeed in plain and simple language in a guest article entitled "Gendern in Leichter Sprache - eine Anleitung" ("Gendering in plain language - a guide"). With regard to the field of science communication, accessibility is a topic that has received little attention so far, but is "extremely relevant," as Isabel Rink and Christiane Maaß emphasize in their guest article on wissenschaftskommunikation.de. Following on from this, here's a reading tip: "Science communication is not very diversity-sensitive".

There is not only a gender pay gap, but to a large extent also a gender data gap. Gaps in knowledge can be identified for all areas of life and research, even if women's policy and women's and gender studies have already filled some of them. For decades, gender equality reports have been written, pointing out inequalities on the basis of collected data, but there are still white spots on the "map" of the current knowledge society. Researchers have - increasingly since the 1970s - created knowledge about women and their living conditions through their investigations and analyses. In doing so, they also criticized the prevailing science because it only focused on the "world of men". The introduction of computers has made it possible to generate a lot of data and to use it - also internationally - to come to conclusions about human living conditions. Such data also underlies the 2020 book Invisible Women. How a World Dominated by Data Ignores Half the Population by Caroline Criado-Perez, which grew out of a question about the representation of women on the Internet. Continue reading

It is not men who are the problem, but the bondage of humanity by capitalist class society - this is what the socialist analysis of women's oppression sounded like. In this reading, women were not even mentioned anymore. Can this be the basis for gender equality policies? The MONAliesA Feminist Library in Leipzig stores almost all issues of the GDR women's magazines Lernen und Handeln, Sibylle, FÜR DICH and Zaunreiterin. Their different relationships to the GDR state served as the basis for analyzing their assessments of GDR women's politics. Continue reading

Violence against politicians is treated differently in public discourses, depending on how it is motivated. Racist threats and assaults are often discussed as a personal cost of civil courage. Sexualized assaults, on the other hand, remain largely taboo, notwithstanding campaigns like #MeTooEP or #NotInMyParliament. Overall, there is little research on the significance of the category of gender in acts of violence against politicians* carried out by individuals (groups). Read more

Women still have a harder time in science than men, for example, when they aspire to a professorship. Why is that? And how could this be changed? "The more diverse people speak for science, the less we might fixate on their embodiment," says sociologist Paula-Irene Villa Braslavsky. A conversation about equal opportunities, equality and representation on Wissenschaftskommunikation.de.

About seventy game developers, artists, educators and interested people participated in the bpb:game jam 2021: binary and more. In three days, they developed 14 digital games on the topic of gender. How games can contribute to the understanding of the topic of gender and strengthen the willingness for political participation was discussed at the Game Jam in the context of a bar camp. In this unconference, participants explored self-imposed themes such as reaching out to averted audiences or experiencing identity in games. Click here to go directly to the games developed at the bpb:game jam.

The Women's and Equal Opportunity Officers at Philipps University Marburg have published a brochure on the topic of "Countering Unconscious Bias in Science". This covers the aspects:

• Is there a gender bias in science?
• Biases in science and
• Preventing Unconscious Bias in Application Processes. 

Click here for the brochure.

Francesca Schmidt outlines a new social contract of the digital in her new book "Netzpolitik - Eine feministische Einführung". Based on two central topics and areas of discussion, "Digital Violence" and "Surveillance versus Privacy," she outlines what a gender-just digital world might look like. In doing so, the author creates a historical context by referencing discussions from the 1980s and 1990s, and cyberfeminism in particular. A reading sample can be found here.

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