SEXOCOM · Constructing Sexuality and Gender in Czechoslovak Sexological Discourses during Communism (1948-1989)

Constructing Sexuality and Gender in Czechoslovak Sexological Discourses during Communism (1948-1989)

This project researched sexological and sexology-related discourses in Czechoslovakia under the communist regime. Its main analytical objective was to investigate the construction of gender and sexuality in Eastern European context and bring a better understanding of the social representations of gender and sexuality proliferating under the communist regime. Methodologically, research sought to develop sensitivities in sexuality research by using critical discourse analysis methods on textual data unearthed from archives while employing archival methods of gender analysis and highlight the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach to the history of sexuality. Researcher consolidated her career and deepened collaboration between her home Masaryk University and the host, Columbia University. The research results are disseminated through peer-reviewed publications as well as by discussing the issues of gender and sexuality in public forums. Researcher has transferred the new knowledge also through her pedagogical activities at Masaryk University. Researcher trained at Columbia University during the outgoing phase of the project where she improved her methodological and analytical skills. During her return phase she implemented the knowledge gained at her home institution, Masaryk University. She conducted research, participated in training, and disseminated the research results predominantly via peer-reviewed research papers. She presented her research results at invited lectures, conference presentations, and classes taught at Masaryk University. Researcher followed her work plan and during her outgoing phase created the corpus of historical documents for analysis and conducted literature review at the Columbia University libraries. Using methods of documentary analysis, researcher analyzed Czechoslovak sexological texts and conducted critical discourse analysis of these texts. Training consisted in active participation in university seminars and research tutorials. During her return phase, she focused on preparing and submitting new original research papers, drafting her English-language monograph and teaching new courses. Researcher also gave public talks, wrote articles for broader audiences and launched a website http://sexocom.fss.muni.cz Researcher presented the results of her research at eleven academic conferences organized by the American Sociological Association, European Sociological Association, University of Chicago, Columbia University, American Association for the History of Medicine, and European Social Science History, among others. She also organized a successful panel "Sexology and Sexual Science in Europe's East" at the European Social Science History Conference. The researcher gave an invited lecture at Yale University and more lectures are coming after the end of the project. She prepared and submitted five peer-reviewed papers that were either already published or are awaiting publication in international peer-reviewed journals such as Sexualities, History of the Human Sciences or national journals (Gender, rovné příležitosti, výzkum) and an edited monograph titled Queer Presences and Absences issued by Palgrave Macmillan. Furthermore, researcher published three articles for the general audience and gave two public talks on topics related to her research. The results of the project are disseminated also through researcher’s teaching. She has been teaching a new graduate level course “Sex and gender under communism” (graduate sociology seminar) both in fall 2013 and fall 2014. She has prepared a new methodological course “Advanced Methods in Document Analysis” to be taught under the auspices of the Qualitative and Quantitative: Methodology Improvement Scheme at Masaryk University. Through researcher’s pedagogical activities, the Gender Studies Program (undergraduate) and Sociology Program (graduate) at Masaryk University have been enriched. Through stronger international publishing record and deeper international collaboration, researcher furthered her career and her habilitation is under way. The project attracted high-profile international attention in the scholarly milieu. Researcher was invited to present her results at a prestigious Presidential panel of the 2015 American Sociological Association annual conference and at the University of London, among others. Cambridge University Press expressed interest in publishing researcher’s monograph from the project (book proposal tentatively titled Sex backwards. Communist Czechoslovakia and the Sciences of Desire, 1948-1989 is currently under consideration). Also, the researcher was awarded a new fellowship for 2015-2016 at the Imre Kertész Kolleg, Jena, Germany where she will elaborate her research findings within a comparative East-Central European context. At her home institution, researcher was offered a new research position at the Office for Population Studies where she develops her research in the demographic context. Through research and dissemination activities, this project diversifies and transfers knowledge since it provides an insight into the specificities of gender and sexuality regimes in Eastern Europe. This project confronts the state-of-the-art knowledge in the history of sexuality that has been formulated in the Western socio-historical milieu with the analysis of the development and institutionalization of sexology in social and political constraints of the communist regime. Thus, this project contributes to filling the gap of important, yet understudied topic of communist legacy while fostering European scholarly dialogue. In doing so, the project strengthens European scientific excellence as it diversifies knowledge that is usually and disproportionately formulated in Western Europe. Through researcher’s pedagogical activities, the project contributes to increasing the high standard of her European return host institution, Masaryk University. Not only does the research produce synergies inside the academic world but it also aims to reinforce synergies between academics and the broader public. The research has an impact on the lives of European citizens as it communicates a nuanced understanding of a part of the communist past. Thus, it reinforces our/Czech understanding of our socio-political heritage and informs public attitudes towards democracy and accountability. Contact: Katerina Liskova, Ph.D., Masaryk University, Czech Republic katerina@fss.muni.cz http://sexocom.fss.muni.cz

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз