The new online encyclopedia on women in the history of theory was presented to the public for the first time at the beginning of July. The launch was duly celebrated by PD Dr. Marília Jöhnk, comparatist and Romance scholar at Goethe University, as well as participating students. Held in cooperation with the Cornelia Goethe Center for Gender Research, the event was also designed as an opportunity to explore new experimental ways of conveying theory.
It is widely known that literary history is still predominantly viewed from a male perspective. But the situation is even worse when it comes to theory. Students of literary and cultural studies take introductory courses in aesthetics, poetics, criticism, literary and cultural theory, and deal almost exclusively with works by male authors.
The new online encyclopedia on the German-language website theoriespuren.de seeks to change this: for this encyclopedia of women’s theory, students have written articles intended for sustainable use in teaching and research. In creative and explorative contributions – essays, graphic novels, podcasts – they present the works of female cultural theorists. Conceived within the framework of a seminar, the encyclopedia aims to make women’s theory visible and thereby contribute to greater diversity in syllabi and curricula. The online publication seeks to whet the appetite and encourage deeper engagement with the works of theorists.
