Public Call for Enrolment of the Eight Generation of Students of the Žarana Papić School of Feminism 2024

Sarajevo Open Centre announces

PUBLIC CALL

for enrolment of the eighth generation of students of the Žarana Papić School of Feminism in 2024

Through the Žarana Papić School of Feminism, Sarajevo Open Centre has, since 2015, continued the Women’s Studies Programme „Žarana Papić“, that was launched and led by the Association Žene ženama in 1998, as the first study programme about women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The School is a space for exchange of knowledge of feminism(s) and tends to fill in the gaps for formal education system in BiH regarding feminist theory, history, everyday life criticism, gender and queer studies.

About the School: This year as well, the Žarana Papić School of Feminism offers the academic-activist educational programme, with the aim to provide the students with the feminist education about the practices, theories and concepts needed for the professional and critical public work and activism in the national, international governmental and non-governmental organisations, in the fields of women’s and marginalized groups’ human rights, and gender equality. The School consists of three theoretical-practical modules that the students will be attending from September till December 2024.

The school acts both on the production of knowledge, enabling interaction between science and different segments of society, as well as on encouraging specific advocacy and activist initiatives in our environment. In each generation, we deal with an introduction to feminist, gender, and queer studies and their relationship to normative knowledge; theories, history and movement; after that, we pay attention to topics such as the institutionalization of feminism through gender equality policies, gender-based violence, socio-economic rights, health, anti-gender movements, etc. We deal with current topics that need to be viewed through a feminist prism, especially in spheres where human rights and gender equality are threatened.

Lecturers and modules: The first module is called Introduction to Feminism: History, Terminology, Theory, the second module is called Access to the Right to Health and Gender Equality: intersectional aspects, while the third module is practical work.

The program of the upcoming, eighth generation will deal with the topic of health as a feminist issue, providing intersectional aspects of gender equality and access to the right to health, such as: the position of vulnerable groups in society, people with disabilities, i.e. with complex medical conditions; concepts and narratives related to the body, beauty and aging; family planning, alternative birth options in public health systems; comprehensive sexuality education; availability of abortion, contraception; menstrual justice; pregnant women, mothers and parents; LGBTIQ+ affirming healthcare and similar topics. Through several modules, the lectures and discussions will include prominent academic staff, human rights activists from BiH and the region, as well as practical exercises/tasks for the participants. An additional value of the program is the ability of the participants to design and implement specific actions in the public space, create different formats that contain feminist interventions in current issues of society.

Application process: Every adult person who lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is interested in gaining new knowledge, developing critical thinking and feminist questioning of reality, that can help them in creating social changes through advocacy activities, activism or through different science and art work, can apply for the school. Everyone is welcome: students of humanities, social sciences, technical sciences, natural sciences or the arts, as well as all those who do not study. We also welcome the persons who have business careers, who work in private or public sector, in the civil society organisations, or who do not work at all.

In order to apply for the school, you need to send CV and letter of motivation (in the form of an essay, up to 300 words). It is expected from the candidates to be highly motivated for the School.

Lectures: The lectures will be held in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian language, from September till December (9 weeks), every other Friday and Saturday for cca three hours (Friday afternoon, from 5:30 P.M./ Saturday tentatively 10 A.M. – 3 P.M.). It is expected that the students attend min. 75% of all the classes. In the scope of every module, the students will have reading assignments – reading texts and preparing for lectures. The classes will take place at Sarajevo Open Centre premises, address: Podgaj 14, Sarajevo.

All students of the School who meet the attendance criteria will get certificate of participation at the end of the School, and the most interested participants will be invited to work with Sarajevo Open Centre and other organizations on advocating the topics related to women’s rights, human rights of LGBTI persons and generally marginalized groups in BiH. SOC can reimburse travel and accommodation costs to participants who are not from Sarajevo.

Deadline for applying: 26 July 2024

Applications should be sent to e-mail [email protected]. All interested individuals can get additional information about the School via this e-mail or telephone number 033 551 000. You can find more about the last-year’s School of Feminism, as well as, generally, the activities of the Sarajevo Open Centre, on www.soc.ba.