Supplementary study Gender, Diversity, Arts

The academic minor Gender I Diversity I Arts is positioned in the space where the arts, academic research and education meet. Its focus is on the topics of gender, gender relations, gender identities, gender roles and sexuality as well as their points of intersection with other structural and identification categories. Gender studies are based on the central realisation of feminist research that gender and gender relations are not an inevitable natural phenomenon that cannot be changed, but social constructions. "Masculinity" and "femininity" therefore prove to be attributes that - depending on the cultural context - are subject to historical change. In the sense of critical artistic practice, it is not only important to question and challenge (outdated) norms (e.g. in the respective subject or repertoire canon), but also in particular to counteract, transform or even overcome the practices followed by musicians, actors, directors and artists with regard to power and domination relations, (traditional) role assignments or gender-semanticised attributions and expectations in a historically researched and artistically active way.

The academic minor Gender I Diversity I Arts offers the chance to acquire additional methodological, personal and social skills, equipping students with the tools and confidence to act with regard to topics such as gender and diversity, equality management, anti-discrimination and the prevention of violence in their personal and professional environment.

Educational objectives
The aim of the academic minor Gender I Diversity I Arts is to acquire the following competences, with special consideration of the arts in each case:
Students

• become aware of and reflect upon their socialisation in relation to gender and their social positioning in their biography
• recognise and reflect on social construction processes of gender 
• learn the ability to critically assess gender relations, their historicity and their connection to constructions of power and domination at various levels in research, teaching and (professional) fields of practice
• understand social inequality and structural discrimination as the intertwining of individual, institutional and cultural discrimination; understand how they are connected in the areas of intersectionality and multiple discrimination
• learn to identify mechanisms of discrimination, privilege and marginalisation and become familiar with strategies for overcoming them. The expertise gained here can be applied to all areas of life and work to demand and support diversity and equality
• gain knowledge of phenomena, discourses and (controversial) debates in art education as well as the tense relationship between art production and art reception (taking aspects of gender and diversity into account) 
• can reflect on their artistic/academic/pedagogical practice in the field of tension between historical, current, structural, individual, and intersectional socio-political categories and processes with regard to identity aspects such as gender, sexual orientation, race, class, etc.

Basic module
The central aim of the courses in the basic module is to teach essential concepts, theories, categories and texts of Gender & Queer Studies, Diversity Studies and Advanced Feminism with special consideration of the arts and the structural characteristics of art and cultural institutions.

The following compulsory introductory courses must be completed:

• VO GENDER I DIVERSITY I ARTS (2 SWS/2 ECTS-Credits)
• PS Introduction to Gender Studies (2 SWS/2 ECTS-Credits)
• Electives: In addition, recommended courses in the basic module totalling 8 ECTS-Credits must be selected from the courses offered by the Mozarteum University at the respective campus (Salzburg or Innsbruck). If desired, thematically relevant courses from the Paris Lodron University Salzburg or the University of Innsbruck can also be taken (further information: Department of Studies & Examinations at the Mozarteum University Salzburg or the equivalent departments at the other two universities).

Advanced module
Reflecting on their increasingly specialised knowledge from the fields of Gender & Queer Studies, Diversity Studies and Advanced Feminism is increasingly combined with artistic practice in order to initiate and implement cultural projects and measures in the field of gender studies, equality, anti-discrimination, etc. The courses in the advanced module can be freely selected from the recommended programme offered at the Mozarteum University at either the Salzburg or the Innsbruck campus.

If desired, one of the following project-based courses or internships can be chosen:

• PT Gender, Diversity, Arts & Research (1 SWS/4 ECTS-Credits)
• PT Gender, Diversity & Artistic Practice (1 SWS/4 ECTS-Credits)
• PT Practical Gender, Diversity, Arts (1 SWS/4 ECTS-Credits)

Within the scope of these courses, students can complete artistic and/or academic projects, a practical placement or certified additional training at a thematically specialised (educational) institution in Austria or abroad; these can be submitted for recognition as part of the academic minor (12 ECTS-Credits).