WS 3.112: Engaging with Gender Geography to contribute to mountain studies

Considering the lack of gender perspective on the mountain areas studies, we propose an interactive and creative workshop that encourages collective reflection on the relations of power and gender inequality that occur within these specific spatio-cultural contexts. By drawing upon the insights of critical and gender geographies, we aim to transcend the idyllic portrayal of mountains and to engage in a critical examination of how gender relations are manifested and expressed in mountain areas. The discussion will be based on the participants’ expertise in their respective research fields and/or personal experiences. The following two dimensions will be addressed: 1) gender identities in mountain areas, including the roles and vocabulary typically associated with those identities, and 2) a positionality exercise, which will prompt participants to reflect on their own identity as a researcher in mountain areas and how this positionality influences their research. To initiate this discussion, the session convenors will give a brief introduction and the participants will deliver their presentations. After that, we will encourage the joint discussion using the interactive-creative method of individual collage, based on the cutting out of images from used magazines, together with other free forms of expression (writing, drawing, etc.). This method, originated from feminist pedagogy, will enable participants to express themselves differently and to experiment another form of doing research, which will be facilitated by guiding questions and concluded by a group discussion.