NON-ACADEMIC COURSES
Online FER school
Non-academic courses
October 16, 2023 to December 16, 2023
Course name: Feminism – “absolute curse” (West)
What exactly is feminism, and why do some women distance themselves from it? What’s the underlying issue? Why do women often say, “I support equality, but I’m not a feminist”?
In this course, you will explore the rights that women in the West fought for during the 19th and 20th centuries, along with the arguments they used to justify their demands. You will also learn about key historical figures in feminism who paved the way for gender equality. These figures are often overlooked in schools, their struggles systematically minimized, and when they are discussed, they are sometimes criticized as “masculine” figures who undermine family, tradition, religion, and nation.
Women are not asking for more rights than men, but for equal rights—rights that are still denied to them today. Therefore, understanding both the secular and religious arguments used to challenge these rights is crucial.
If you want to learn more about the rights you enjoy today—such as the right to vote, access to education, employment, and political participation—this course will provide the answers. Rights are not granted automatically; they are fought for and can be rescinded. Thus, it is important to understand the mechanisms of struggle and the realization of women’s human rights that feminists have advanced and continue to work on.
Course title: Eastern Faces of Feminism
Does feminism exist only in the West? Is feminism compatible with religion? Did you know there are Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, and other forms of feminism in Asia, Africa, and beyond?
If you’re curious about these questions, join us in this course where we explore the diverse forms of feminism in the East and their religious foundations through engaging discussions.
Name of the course: “And you, poor sister, shut up, protect the face of the family” . Gender-based violence and religious responses
How many times have you heard someone say: “Be quiet, don’t tell anyone.” “Keep the family’s honor intact.” “It’s better for the children to have a father, no matter how he is.” “Be good to him, and he will change.” “Be careful what you say; don’t provoke him.” Such statements perpetuate violence and suggest to the victim that she is responsible, co-responsible, or even guilty for the violence she experiences.
In this course, we will examine the foundations of various statements about violence, exploring how arguments rooted in culture, tradition, and religion both justify and silence it. Throughout our discussions, you will learn about the nature of violence, including gender-based violence, and how to recognize it. We will cover the different types of violence, as well as prevention and protection mechanisms. Our discussions will draw on texts from the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran, as well as media coverage of violence and the legal and psycho-social support mechanisms available to victims.
If you believe that silence is not golden and that concealing violence does not protect the family, join us for the online discussions in this course.
Course title: Is a woman human? From myths, sacred texts to modern science
The aim of the course is to analyze various narratives, ranging from ancient myths and biblical and Quranic texts to contemporary popular science and scientific works. The course examines anthropology within Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions, focusing on the question that persisted until the early 20th century: whether women are considered human, and if so, to what extent. These questions are rooted in Aristotle’s teachings. In his studies of the animal world, Aristotle suggested that the female is a “deformed” male. This notion was interpreted in philosophical and theological works to mean that women are incomplete men, incapable of education or public political roles.
Modern science has long challenged Aristotle’s theories regarding active male and passive female natures. Despite this, gender stereotypes based on his ideas continue to be prevalent in both religious and secular narratives about family and public roles. For example, if we still hear that “men are from Mars and women are from Venus,” that women are sensitive and weak while men are rational and strong, or that women belong in the family while men belong in politics and management—and if these notions are purported to be supported by the Bible, the Quran, and modern science—this suggests that gender stereotypes continue to influence relationships between women and men.
Is this still the case? To explore these issues further, join the online discussions in this course.
Course: Is peace a “woman’s thing”?
What is peace, and how do we understand it? Is there a difference between male and female peace? Are women more inclined towards peace than men? Are women naturally more peaceful and non-violent?
This course addresses these questions and more, including topics such as religious and secular resources for peacebuilding, feminist ethics of justice and care, and women’s peacemaking initiatives in times of conflict and tranquility.
Our goal is to provide a gender-inclusive perspective on peacebuilding, explore various peace theories, and present practical examples of female peacemakers from around the world and our region.
If you want to understand why peace is crucial, why it concerns both women and men, and how to promote peace in your own environment, join us in this course.