Prof. dr. Anne-Marie Korte holds the chair of Religion and Gender which aims to explore categories of gender, sexuality and diversity when investigating the significance and operations of religion(s) in cultural processes and current social developments. The chair also aims at the conceptual clarification of the relation between religion and gender, in particular in the context of contemporary multicultural societies. Religious profiling, confrontation and (identity) politics at local, national and international levels often focus on themes of sexual difference, sexuality and reproduction (e.g. the recurrent explosive debates over women’s veiling, abortion and contraception, homosexuality and similar controversial issues). Due to its strategic positioning in the Faculty of Humanities in two departments, this position benefits from, contributes to and builds bridges between Utrecht University’s long traditions of research in religious studies and in gender studies respectively. The chair particularly aims to initiate innovative international research projects and to build a worldwide interdisciplinary research network for the study of religion and gender. The current research of Korte is directed at the role of gender and sexuality in contemporary accusations of blasphemy, and on body politics in conflicts about religion in the public domain.
Recent research projects
2016-present Initiator and project leader of the NWO funded project ‘Beyond “Religion versus Emancipation“. Gender and Sexuality in Women’s Conversions to Judaism, Christianity and Islam in Contemporary Western Europe’ (Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Utrecht University)
2013-2017 Initiator and co-project leader of the NWO funded project ‘Contested Privates: The Oppositional Pairing of Religion and Homosexuality in Contemporary Public Discourse in the Netherlands’ (Amsterdam Center for the Study of Lived Religion and the Utrecht Chair of Gender, Religion and Modernity)
2009-present Initiator and co-project leader of the NOSTER funded research cooperation projects ‘Iconoclashes: Interferences of Gender, Politics, Religion and Art in the Pussy Riot Case’ (2012-2015), ‘The Actual Fascination of Sacrifice’ (2011-2013), and ‘The Sacred and Everyday Life: Approaching Religion in Gender Perspective’ (2010-2013)
2012-2015 Initiator and coordinator of the NWO funded project for Internationalisation in the Humanities ‘Interdisciplinary Innovations in the Study of Religion and Gender: Postcolonial, Post-secular and Queer Perspectives’ in cooperation with Humboldt University (Berlin), University of London, University of Oslo, Columbia University (New York), University of Ghent (Belgium)
(Inter)national Academic Positions and Board Memberships (Current and Recent)
2013-2017 Chair steering committee research program ‘Religion in modern society’ of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
2009-2016 Academic Director, Netherlands School for Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion (NOSTER) (2009-2011: 0,4fte; 2012-2016: 0,2fte)
2009-2015 Board member, Division of Humanities, The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (2009-2015: 0,2fte)
2002-2015 Member Committee Academic Biography Catharina Halkes (1920-2011)
2010-2013 Member Standing Committee for the Humanities (SCH) of the European Science Foundation
2009-2013 Member Advisory Board of the Centre for Humanities, Utrecht University
2011-2012 Chair preparatory committee research program ‘Religion in modern society’, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
2002-2012 Member program committee research program ‘The Future of the Religious Past’, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
2012 Member Assessment Committee, Standard Evaluation Protocol Research Assessment in The Netherlands, University of Humanistics
2009-2011 Member Committee Professionalisation of Research Proposals of the Netherlands School for Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion
1999-2012 Member and chair Advisory Committee Education and Research of the Netherlands School for Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion (1999-2005, 2008-2009, 2009-2012)