Feminism and Motherhood

About

The winter school on Feminism and Motherhood will reflect on the complicated but philosophically rich relation between feminism and motherhood. Together with you, we will look for philosophical frameworks and conceptual tools to think through experiences and practices related to motherhood. At the same time, we will also explore whether practices of mothering (particularly more recent or overlooked ones) can challenge long-held traditional philosophical views.

The programme consists of an exciting mix of interdisciplinary lectures, close reading sessions, and group discussions. After a week of philosophising about contemporary motherhood and mothering with your peers and teachers, you will leave this winter school with fresh insights and novel questions to explore in your own research and daily life.

The winter school is organised by Emma Moormann, Joke Struyf and Katrien Schaubroeck (Philosophy Department, University of Antwerp).

Course leader

The winter school is organised by Emma Moormann, Joke Struyf and Katrien Schaubroeck (Philosophy Department, University of Antwerp).

Target group

Master of Arts students and Master's and PhD-students interested in the topics discussed. We aim for an international and interdisciplinary audience. The entire winter school will be in English, so a good command is necessary. We aim for an international and interdisciplinary audience.

Course aim

Through guest lectures and discussions, and by reading and discussing mothering accounts in cultural expressions (e.g. literature, film...) we will explore the possible meanings of sense of agency in this context and the many factors influencing mothers’ sense of agency.

Among the topics for discussion are mothers’ complicity in their own oppression, TERFs, matrescence literature, infertility in academia, migrant mothers’ experiences, parenting apps, mom rage, birth strikes and (gendered division of) household labour.

Fee info

The tuition fee includes course material, coffee and tea breaks, lunches and excursions. A conference dinner will be organised on Thursday. It is not included in the tuition fee: those who wish to participate, pay on the spot. (+- 40 euro, drinks included)