Do we have the courage to question our own beliefs, worldviews, and practices? Do we possess the strength to stand up against the structural violence perpetuated by patriarchal institutions, both secular and religious? Are we prepared to hear different perspectives and respect opinions, even if we don’t agree with them? Are we ready to honor human freedom and the right of individuals to believe or not believe, to ask questions, express doubt, and seek answers? Is it possible to be both a feminist and a believer?
If the answer to these questions is “yes,” then we invite you to apply for the first online FER school: Feminism and Religion. The FER school is designed for both women and men who wish to critically examine their beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and practices surrounding human rights and freedoms, and who are interested in exploring how gender stereotypes shape the lives of individuals in family and society.
The aim of the FER school is to deconstruct the foundations of gender stereotypes and construct egalitarian gender models grounded in both scientific and religious arguments. Classical and contemporary philosophical, theological, historical, sociological, and other sources will be analyzed through feminist anthropology, historical criticism, hermeneutics of doubt, and gender-sensitive linguistics.
The FER school is free of charge and open to those who wish to engage in academic-level coursework (3 hours per week of lectures and discussions, along with the submission of a final academic paper).
For the winter semester of the FER school (October 10, 2022 – January 27, 2023), we offer the following five courses on the dates listed below:
History of Feminism in East and West – Mondays, 18:00–19:30
Gender, Religion, and Peacebuilding – Tuesdays, 17:30–19:00
Philosophy and Gender – Wednesdays, 18:00–19:30
Sociology of Gender – Thursdays, 18:00–19:30
Religion and Gender-Based Violence – Fridays, 18:00–19:30
Lectures and reading materials will be made available on the Moodle platform for FER school participants. Attendees are required to review the lecture materials and readings each week in preparation for the scheduled discussions. Active participation in discussions and the completion of weekly assignments are mandatory. Participants may miss up to three sessions with prior notice. Those who regularly attend classes and submit the final academic paper will receive a certificate at the end of the course, which will include a list of the course units (45 in total, equivalent to 4 ECTS credits, recognized by some faculties).
To apply, please submit the following by October 3, 2022:
A motivation letter
A CV
Specify which of the offered courses you wish to attend (it is possible to choose one or more courses).
Applications should be sent to: ferskola.tpo@gmail.com. You will receive a response to your application by October 6, 2022.
The FER school is organized by the TPO Foundation from Sarajevo in partnership with the Ecumenical Women’s Initiative from Omiš. For more information, please visit: https://ferskola.onlinebase.net/
Directors:
Prof. Dr. Sci. Zilka Spahić Šiljak
Dr.sc. Jadranka Rebeka Anić, Scientific Advisor
