Annotation
The course presents an example of the application of feminist theory in helping practice. The example of feminist helping practice in gender-based violence illustrates the use of radical social work (and other feminist theoretical concepts) in the application of the living experience of women. In addition to the theoretical definition and historical excursion, the course offers an example of feminist methods - feminist social work and feminist therapy.
Students will learn about the feminist approach to violence against women, about phenomena such as learned helplessness, Stockholm syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder as a consequence of violence against women, and they will become more familiar with feminist social work and feminist therapy, methods such as counselling, a safe house, or a self-disclosure. Students will identify the characteristics of feminist pragmatic ethics in the context of its application in the Chicago Hull House at the turn of the 19th and 20th century and radical feminism as an inspiration for women's shelters in the second half of the 20th century. The concept of a safe women's shelter and the standardization of its principles in the process of formal social policies is currently illustrating an example of positive results of feminist social activism, despite the backlash activities present also in the context of research activities aimed at challenging the feminist understanding of violence against women. The analysis of researches in the field of violence against women using feminist theory illustrates a relevant tool for detecting gender-blind research as a tool used in the antifeminist backlash process.
The course is structured into four parts, each part consisting of a lecture given by the lecturer to familiarize students with basic theoretical definition of the subject matter and a mutual discussion about the relevant text.