Overview

Postcolonial theory and queer theory have transformed literary studies in the past three decades. By turning to topics such as decolonization, migration, language, knowledge production, and representation, postcolonial studies approache the study of literature in ways that intersect with other fields such as critical race theory and diaspora, feminist and queer studies, among others. Queer Theory, on the other hand, always gives thought to other identity formation categories as well, of which ‘race’ or ethnicity are of high relevance.

In our worksop we will discuss seminal theoretical texts within the realm of postcolonial theory and queer theory and we will explore the vast field of inquiry and the interconnections of both paradigms. Both fields are not unified ones of theoretical inquiry. Therefore we do not seek a linear narrative of the topic, but instead take an episodic approach that focuses on the works of some of the most prominent theoreticians for the field, including, Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Homi K. Bhabha on the one hand, Judith Butler, Theresa de Lauretis, Jack Halberstam and David Halperin on the other hand.

A reader with extracts of the relevant text will be provided.

Bio note

Anna Babka (Universidade de Viena)

Since 7/2014 - Associate Professor at the German Department, University of Vienna.
7/12-10/2012; 2001-2002 - BBRG Affiliated Visiting Scholar, Beatrice Bain Research Group, UC California at Berkeley
5/2010-7/2014 - Tenured Position at the German Department, University of Vienna
1/2006-12/2011- Award: Hertha-Firnberg-Postdoc-Position and Elise-Richter-Senior Postdoc Position (Austrian Science Fund FWF) at the German Department, University of Vienna. Project: Necessary Interconnections: postcolonial-Queer. Postcolonial Theories and Queer Theories in dialogue with texts in German language. On the interaction of theoretical insights and literary exploration.
4/2000-7/2002 - Postdoctoral Affiliated Member at ASCA (Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis)
9/2001–8/2002 - Erwin-Schrödinger-Mobility-Stipend (Austrian Science Fund FWF) for research abroad (University of California, Berkeley)
4/1999-10/2000 - Postdoctoral Graduate Scholar at the ‚Graduateschool Repräsentation Rhetorik Wissen‚, European University Viadrina, Frankfurt/Oder, Germany
10/1998 - Promotion Dr. Phil. (equivalent to PhD, summa cum laude) at the University of Vienna, Department of German Studies, Doctoral Thesis: Interrupted – Gender and the Tropes of Autobiography
  
  
Principal fields of Research / Research Emphasis
Theory and Methodology of Literary Studies and Cultural Studies; methodological relations between Gender Studies and Cultural Studies; Theory and Methodology of Comparative Literature Studies │ Autobiography; Theory of Autobiography; Genre Theory │ Cyberfeminism, Gender Studies, Queer Studies, Postcolonial Studies │Deconstruction; Rhetoric │Literature of Romanticism (a.o. Heinrich von Kleist, Bettina von Arnim) │ Travel Writing by women in the 19th century (a.o. Ida Pfeiffer, Ida von Hahn-Hahn) │ Literature of the turn of the century (o.a. Else Lasker-Schüler, Robert Michel) │ ‚Biedermeier‘ Literature (Franz Grillparzer), Post-War-Literature (a.o. Ingeborg Bachmann, Heinrich Böll) │ Contemporary Austrian Literature (a.o. Elfriede Jelinek, Josef Winkler) / Literature after 2000, ‘Migrant Literature’ (Semier Insayif, Julya Rabinowich).
 

Org. Doctoral Programmes Feminist Studies & Post-Colonialisms and Global Citizenship