Letter to Hungarian authorities

The representatives of 119 teaching programmes in gender studies send a joint letter to the Hungarian Minister of Education
24 August 2018

Dear Minister of Education,

We have been notified about the Hungarian government’s proposed law to abolish the accredited MA program in gender studies in Hungary. According to The Hungarian Journal, “the part of the amendment which concerns gender studies provides no explanation whatsoever. Two universities are concerned: Hungary’s biggest state-funded university ELTE, and the Central European University. If the amendment becomes official, it will mean that nobody can attend gender studies courses in Hungary and get a degree in the subject.”

As directors and professors of gender studies masters and study programmes in various European states and worldwide, we would like to express our deep concern and protest this proposal. We also want to show our solidarity with our Hungarian colleagues. Gender studies are well established as a scientific discipline and Hungary enjoys an excellent reputation in the field. This discipline, which is taught in the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the world, has significantly contributed to the advancement of science and the improvement of society. Perspectives from gender studies on questions of human wellbeing, equality, identity, difference, and diversity today are also recognized within many other scientific disciplines, from medicine, law, political sciences, economics, sociology to cultural, literary studies and history. Furthermore, gender studies embraces a plurality of theoretical perspectives and methodologies that cannot be reduced to one single framework or paradigm. Therefore, research, studies and graduates with the skills and expertise to tackle both global, but also specific local challenges relating to societal progress, rights and dignity remain important for future generations. This field is both intellectually and politically crucial, across Europe and within Hungary.

This measure also sets a dangerous precedent for state intervention in all other university courses. By denying to faculty and administrators the academic freedom that is the guarantee of the autonomy of higher education, the Hungarian government puts itself outside the community of democratic nations.

We call therefore upon the Minister of Education to refuse this amendment. We also call upon the European Union, of which Hungary is a member nation, to condemn this action as a violation of its principles. And we call upon academic institutions in our own countries to join our protest.

Best regards,

  1. Sanjam Ahluwalia (Northern Arizona University), Women’s and Gender Studies, United States of America
  2. Nadje Al-Ali (SOAS University of London), Master Programme in Gender Studies & MPhil/PhD in Gender Studies, Centre for Gender Studies, United Kingdom
  3. Gill Allwood (Nottingham Trent University), PhDs in Arts and Humanities, United Kingdom
  4. Fanny Ambjörnsson(Stockolm University), Bachelor Program, Master Program and PhD Program in Gender Studies, Sweden
  5. Karuppannan Annapuranam (Institute for Social and Economic Change), Gender Studies, India
  6. Milica Antic Gaber (University of Ljubljana), Doctoral Programme of Gender studies at the Faculty of Arts, Slovenia
  7. Ionela Baluta (University of Bucharest), Master în Ştiinţe Politice, Specializarea Ştiinţe Politice – Politicile egalităţii de şanse în context românesc şi european, Romania
  8. Lorraine Bayard de Volo (University of Colorado Boulder), Women & Gender Studies, United States of America
  9. Adriana Bebiano (University of Coimbra), PhD in Feminist Studies, Portugal
  10. Merike Blofield (University of Miami), Women’s and Gender Studies, United States of America
  11. Saskia Bonjour (Universiteit van Amsterdam), Bachelor Minor Gender & Sexuality, The Netherlands
  12. Flavia do Bonsucesso Teixeira (Federal University of Uberlandia), PhD Program in Public and Collective Health, Brazil
  13. Adriana Boria (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Doctorado en Género, Argentina
  14. Karen Boyle (University of Strathclyde), Msc Applied Gender Studies, United Kingdom
  15. Sarah Bracke & Marie-Louise Janssen (Universiteit van Amsterdam), Master of Science in Sociology, Gender, Sexuality, and Society (track), The Netherlands
  16. Melanie Elyse Brewster (Columbia University), Sexuality, Women, and Gender Program at Teachers College, United States of America
  17. Jude Brown (University of Cambridge), MPhil in Multidisciplinary Gender Studies & PhD Program in Multidisciplinary Gender Studies, United Kingdom
  18. Rosemarie Buikema (Utrecht University), Graduate Gender Programme, The Netherlands
  19. Rebeca Bussinger (Federal University of Espirito Santo), PhD Program in Psychology, Brazil
  20. Wendy Cadge (Brandeis University), Women’s & Gender Studies Program, United States of America
  21. Marina Calloni (University of Milano-Bicocca), EDV Italy Project, Italy
  22. Mary Anne Case (University of Chicago), Workshop on Regulation of Family, Sex, and Gender, Law School, United States of America
  23. Sébastien Chauvin & Eléonore Lépinard (Université de Lausanne), Master en Sciences Sociales, Switzerland
  24. Sara Cohen Shabot (University of Haifa), Women’s and Gender Studies Graduate Program, Israel
  25. Christa Craven (College of Wooster), Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program, United States of America
  26. Kent Elizabeth Davis-Packard (Johns Hopkins University),  SAIS Women LeadCurricular Program, United States of America
  27. Francine Descarries (Université du Québec à Montréal), Réseau québécois en études féministes, Canada
  28. Juan F. Díaz Morales (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Máster en Estudios de Género, Spain
  29. Alessia Donà and Barbara Poggio (University of Trento), Centre of Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, Italy
  30. Lisa Downing (University of Birmingham), PhD & MRes in Sexuality and Gender Studies, United Kingdom
  31. Laura Lee Downs (European University Institute), EUI Gender Project, Italy
  32. Pascale Dufour (Université de Montréal), Mineure en études féministes des genres et des sexualités, Canada
  33. Daša Duhaček (University of Belgrade), Gender Studies Program, Center for Gender and Politics, Serbia
  34. Silvia Elizalde, Carolina Spataro & Carolina Justo von Lurzer (Universidad de Buenos Aires), Programa de Actualización en Comunicación. Géneros y Sexualidades, Argentina
  35. Yasmine Ergas (Columbia University), Gender & Public Policy Specialization, School of International & Public Affairs, United States of America
  36. Éric Fassin & Nadia Setti (Université Paris 8-Vincennes-Saint-Denis), Département d’études de genre, France
  37. Laura Frader (Northeastern University), Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, United States of America
  38. Katherine Franke (Columbia University), JD, MA and PhD programs, Center for Gender and Sexuality Law, United States of America
  39. Susan Freeman (Western Michigan University), Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, United States of America
  40. Jennifer Freeman Marshall (College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University),Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, United States of America
  41. Nathalie Frogneux (Université catholique de Louvain), Mineure en Etudes de Genre, Belgium
  42. Linda Garber (Santa Clara University), Women’s and Gender Studies Department, United States of America
  43. Marie-Dominique Garnier (Université Paris 8-Vincennes-Saint-Denis), Doctorat d’études de genre, France
  44. Sabine Grenz (Universität Wien), Master in Gender Studies, Austria
  45. Inderpal Grewal (Yale University), Program in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, United States of America
  46. Gabriele Griffin (Uppsala University), Centre for Gender Research, Sweden
  47. Tamar Hager (Tel Hai College), Gender Studies Program, Israel
  48. Daphna Hacker (Tel Aviv University), Women and Gender Studies Program, Israel
  49. Jack Halberstam (Columbia University), Institute for Research on Women, Gender and Sexuality, United States of America
  50. Nahema Hanafi (Université d’Angers), Master Etudes sur le Genre des Universités d’Angers, de Brest, du Mans, de Nantes et de Rennes 2, France
  51. Haldis Haukanes (University of Bergen), Master Global Development Theory and Practice, Specialisation in Gender in Global Development, Norway
  52. Clare Hemmings (London School of Economics and Political Science), Gender Studies, United Kingdom
  53. Jean-Philippe Imbert (Dublin City University), Masters of Arts in Sexuality Studies, Ireland
  54. Susan V. Iverson (Manhattanville College), Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, United States of America
  55. Katrien Jacobs (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Gender Studies Programme, Hong Kong
  56. Gabriele Jähnert (Humboldt-Universität), Bachelor of Arts (BA) Geschlechterstudien/Gender Studies & Master of Arts (MA) Geschlechterstudien/Gender Studies, Center for transdisciplinary Gender Studies, Germany
  57. Lena Karlsson (Lund University), Gender Studies Department, Sweden
  58. Mary Celeste Kearney (University of Notre Dame), Gender Studies Program, United States of America
  59. Catherine Lawless (Trinity College Dublin), Taught M.Phil. in Gender and Women’s Studies, Ireland
  60. April Lidinsky (Indiana University South Bend), Women’s and Gender Studies Program, United States of America
  61. Katerina Liskova (Masaryk University), Gender Studies Program, Department of Sociology, Czech Republic
  62. Mauricio List Reyes (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla), Maestría en Antropología Social, Linea de Sexualidad, Cuerpo y Género, Mexico
  63. Chia Longman (Universiteit Gent), Master Gender & Diversity, Belgium
  64. Denise Lynn (University of Southern Indiana), Gender Studies, United States of America
  65. Maria do Mar Pereira (University of Warwick), MA in Gender and International Development & PhD in Women’s and Gender Studies, United Kingdom
  66. Esteban Martinez-Garcia (Université libre de Bruxelles), Master en Sciences du Travail, Filière Genre et Inégalités, Belgium.
  67. Paula Sandrine Machado (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul), PhD Program in Social and Institutional Psychology, Brazil
  68. Amana Matos (State University of Rio de Janeiro), PhD Program in Psychology, Brazil
  69. Sally McWilliams (Portland State University), Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, United States of America
  70. Maria Mesner (Universität Wien), Studienprogrammleiterin Gender Studies, Austria
  71. Marcos Mesquita (Federal University of Alagos), PhD Program in Psychology, Brazil
  72. Jacinthe Michaud (York University), School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, Canada
  73. Liesbeth Minnaard (Leiden University), Minor Gender and Sexuality, The Netherlands
  74. Avigail Moor (Tel Hi College), Gender Studies, Israel
  75. Anne Mulhall (University College Dublin), Master Gender Studies (School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University College Dublin) & Master Literature & Culture – Gender, Sexuality & Culture (School of English, Drama, Film and Creative Writing), Ireland
  76. Sally Munt (University of Sussex), PhD Program in Gender Studies/Humanities, United Kingdom
  77. Henrique Caetano Nardi (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul), PhD Program in Social and Institutional Psychology, Brazil
  78. Laura C. Nelson (University of California, Berkeley), Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, United States of America
  79. Hélène Nicolas (Université Paris 8-Vincennes-Saint-Denis), Master d’Etudes de Genre, France
  80. Luciano Nosetto (Universidad de Buenos Aires), Doctoral Program in Social Sciences, Argentina
  81. Libora Oates-Indruchova (University of Graz), MA in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies, Austria
  82. Rachel O’Connell & Samuel Solomon (University of Sussex), Master in Sexual Dissidence, United Kingdom
  83. Vera Paiva (University of Sao Paulo), PhD Program in Social Psychology, Brazil
  84. David Paternotte (Université libre de Bruxelles) & Tania Van Hemelrijck (Université catholique de Louvain), Master de specialisation en études de genre, Belgium
  85. Hélène Périvier (Sciences Po Paris), PRESAGE, Programme de Recherche et d’Enseignement des Savoirs sur le Genre, France
  86. Juliana Perucchi (Federal University of Juiz de Fora), PhD Program in Psychology, Brazil
  87. Deborah Philips (University of Brighton), Women’s Writing and Feminist Theory, United Kingdom
  88. Alison Phipps (Sussex University), Master in Gender Studies & Gender Studies PhD programmes, United Kingdom
  89. Valérie Piette (Université libre de Bruxelles), Certificat Genre, Sexualité & Société, Belgium
  90. Marco Aurélio Máximo Prado (Federal University of Minas Gerais), PhD Program Psychology, Brazil
  91. Elisabeth Prügl (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies), Gender Centre, Switzerland
  92. Mary Lou Rasmussen (Australian National University), MPhil Gender, Sexuality and Culture, Australia
  93. Emma L. E. Rees (University of Chester), Gender Studies MRes, United Kingdom
  94. Juliette Rennes & Matthieu Trachman (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales), Master Genre, Politique et Sexualité, France
  95. Monika Rudaś-Grodzka (Polish Academy of Sciences), Gender Studies, Institute of Literary Research, Poland
  96. Katja Sabisch (Ruhr-University Bochum), Master Gender Studies, Women’s & Gender Research Network NRW, Germany
  97. Zdenka Šadl (University of Ljubljana), Doctoral Gender Studies Programme at Faculty of Social Sciences, Slovenia
  98. Kristen Schilt (University of Chicago), Gender and Sexuality Studies (BA & Graduate Certificate), United States of America
  99. Marianne Schmidbaur (Goethe University Frankfurt), BA Minor in Gender Studies, Germany
  100. Stacey Scriver, (National University of Ireland Galway), MA Gender,  Globalisation and Rights, Ireland
  101. Lynne Segal (Birbeck, University of London), Master Gender, Sexuality & Culture, United Kingdom
  102. Carisa R. Showden (University of Auckland), Gender Studies, New Zealand
  103. Vera Sokolova (Prague University), Gender Studies, Czech Republic
  104. Maria Juracy Toneli Filgueiras (Federal University of Santa Catarina), PhD Program in Psychology, Brazil
  105. Marco Antonio Torres (Federal University of Ouro Preto), PhD Program in Education, Brazil
  106. Aili Mari Tripp (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, United States of America
  107. Rivka Tuval-Mashiach (Bar Ilan University), Gender Graduate Program, Israel
  108. Marieke van den Brink (Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen), Radboud Gender and Diversity Studies, The Netherlands
  109. Cristina Vega (Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales), Department of Sociology and Gender Studies, Ecuador
  110. Tània Verge (Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Minor in Gender Studies, Spain
  111. Luciana Vieira (Federal University of Pernambuco), PhD Program in Psychology, Brazil
  112. Paula-Irene Villa (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München), Minor Gender in Social Sciences and Cultural Studies, Germany
  113. Susanne Völker & Dirk Schulz (University of Cologne), Master Gender & Queer Studies, Germany
  114. Elisabeth Wesseling (Maastricht University), Centre for Gender and Diversity, The Netherlands
  115. Stephen Whittle (Manchester Metropolitan University), LLM European Equalities and Human Rights Law, United Kingdom
  116. Elizabeth A. Wood (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Women’s & Gender Studies, United States of America
  117. Bonnie Zare (Virginia Tech), Women’s and Gender Studies, United States of America
  118. Amalia Ziv (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev), Gender Studies Program, Israel
  119. Lorena Parini (Université de Genève), Master en etudes genre, Switzerland

Contacts

David Paternotte (Université libre de Bruxelles), david.paternotte@ulb.ac.be

Chia Longman (Universiteit Gent), chia.longman@ugent.be