A morning with Gerard Coll-Planas

When we talk about gender violence, what are we talking about? What forms of violence come to light? Which are silenced? Can we talk about gender without talking about racism or classism? In one way or another, we are all victims of prejudice and also reproduce ideas or attitudes that harm others, often without being fully aware of it. In spite of this reality, we tend to reduce conflicts to the dichotomy of victims and aggressors. But is this useful for addressing violence? Or does it simply help drive the sides apart? Isn’t reality more complex than this?

The truth is, nothing is that simple; beneath the surface of our relationships, there are layers of inequality and privilege that we often don’t take into account. In this talk, Gerard Coll-Planas, sociologist and director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Studies at the University of Vic, calls for an approach to gender violence that looks beyond gender. What role do origin, social class and sexuality play in our relationships? Are we aware of the pressures and the discomfort suffered by others? Or of our own privileges? These are some of the questions we will be asking to reflect on everything involved in the way we relate to others.

The session will have a pedagogical dossier (in Catalan) so that the students can work on the contents beforehand in the classroom and thus make the most out of the lecture.