This seminar explores the politics of asylum and displacement by exploring the intertwined dimensions of gender, space and time. This course challenges conventional narratives of im/mobility, enriching your understanding through innovative frameworks primarily rooted in feminist geographies, queer and postcolonial theories.
In the first half of the seminar, we will unpack key theoretical concepts that reposition our understanding of space from a static entity to a dynamic interplay of social relations, intertwined with temporal experiences. We will critically engage with foundational texts, including Doreen Massey’s influential work, Space, Place and Gender.
As we progress, our focus will shift to queer and postcolonial perspectives that illuminate the processes of heteronormativity and racialization, questioning who is categorized as ‘out of place’ or ‘out of time’. We will engage, amongst others, with Rahul Rao’s compelling Out of Time: The Queer Politics of Postcoloniality, probing how his insights reshape our perceptions of displaced lives.
We will utilize these theories by examining case studies of spaces, such as refugee camps, and the specific temporal experiences tied to asylum processes, including concepts of waiting, uncertainty, and the politics of future-making.
Students will engage in critical research and do group presentations, applying theoretical insights to the analysis of chosen texts, thereby bridging theory with empirical cases and enhancing our collective understanding of asylum politics through diverse, critical lenses. This seminar is ideal for Master’s students eager to explore the intersections of critical migration studies, feminist geography, queer studies, and postcolonial theory.
Course Requirements
2 CP: Active participation, regular attendance, engagement with readings, and a presentation.
8 CP: In addition to the above, students must write a term paper (4.-4.500 words), expanding on their chosen topic.
- Lehrende/r: Rieke Schröder