Course objectives:

• Understanding social constructions of gender and disability
• Importance of intersectional approaches to the relationship between gender and disability
• Knowledge of processes of discrimination
• Understanding disabilities as an analytical category in the pedagogical context
• Knowledge of sexual violence against women with disabilities
• Knowledge of the self-help movement of disabled people
• Knowledge of fields of practice in disability studies

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Teaching content/subject-specific gender studies content:

a) Gender and disability as processes of socio-historical construction

b) Gender and disability as an analytical category in educational processes (referring to pedagogical goals, interaction, institution, concept development, professional identity, identity of the client)

c) Gender and disability in the context of processes of discrimination

d) Sexual violence against women with disabilities

e) Disability Studies and the self-help movement of disabled people

Theoretical approaches: Disability Studies, Poststructuralism, Recognition Theory, Equity Theory

Methodological approaches: Intersectionality, communication studies, discourse analysis, disability studies, normalism, biographical research

Areas of practice: Inclusive schools, special schools, long-term disability assistance systems (inpatient and outpatient)

Aspects of professionalism: Professional positions concerning the topic of gender and disability; reflective practice in relation to the categories of gender and disability, e.g. from the perspective of so-called practices of addressing.

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Integration of gender studies content into the curriculum:

Gender and disability should be considered as a cross-sectional topic in as many courses as possible. The aspects heterogeneity, difference, diversity and inclusion are of particular interest and should be explicitly addressed. They can be implemented both in introductory courses (historical and theoretical basics of the subject), but also in practice-related courses and courses that foster professional self-reflection. The latter implies e.g. learning diaries, case and video vignettes, but also field explorations, which look at the topic through participant observation and other survey techniques.

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Degree Stage:

At BA level:

• Understanding social constructions of gender and disability (as part of an introductory lecture on difference, diversity and inclusion in the educational system).
• Knowledge of processes of discrimination (as part of a seminar, using biographical narratives and statistical data)
• Knowledge of sexual violence against women with disabilities (as part of a course on power relations in disability assistance systems, including e.g. information from anti-discrimination offices and interviews in relevant counselling centres)

At MA level:

• Importance of intersectional approaches to the relationship between gender and disability (research seminar on the theoretical and methodological foundations of rehabilitation studies)
• Knowledge of the self-help movement of disabled people (seminar using various source material)
• Knowledge of different fields of practice in disability studies (seminar with individual writing sessions)
• Disability as an analytical category in the pedagogical context (as part of a colloquium) and within the framework of ethical reflections on rehabilitation pedagogy (e.g. in a seminar parallel to an internship including own or foreign case vignettes and video material as well as learning diaries).

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