Gender and Age(ing) in Transcultural Perspectives: ICAS:MP Workshop in Würzburg

07/09/2026

How do understandings of age and gender change across different social and cultural contexts? This question was at the heart of the international ICAS:MP workshop "The Challenge of Gender", held in Würzburg on 2–3 July 2026. Scholars from Germany, India, and other countries came together to discuss gender, age(ing), and social change from historical, social scientific, and cultural studies perspectives.

The workshop was organized within the framework of the ICAS:MP M.S. Merian – R. Tagore International Centre of Advanced Studies “Metamorphoses of the Political”. The event was opened by Jörg Gengnagel and Karin Steiner, who welcomed participants from a range of disciplines to explore contemporary perspectives on gender and age(ing) in transcultural contexts.

Rethinking Age and Ageing in Transcultural Contexts

The first day focused on the theme “Rethinking Age and Ageing in Transcultural Contexts”. The presentations ranged from historical and literary perspectives on ageing processes to contemporary issues of care, loneliness, dementia, and social participation. Christina von Hodenberg examined the role of single women in old age and their impact on post-war West Germany’s gender regime, while Uma Chakravarti explored transnational intellectual connections linking India, Europe, and the United States. Mary E. John discussed age and ageing in the work of Simone de Beauvoir, and Anne Kluger analysed autobiographical writings by elderly people in Germany and Austria around 1900.

Several contributions addressed age(ing) and gender in South Asia. Sabah Siddiqui examined the psychodynamics of ageing and gendered dimensions of caregiving in India. Prof. Elisabeth Schömbucher-Kusterer addressed questions of old age and death within the trans community, while Valerie Keller explored how gendered emotions shape experiences of dementia. Deepita Chakravarty spoke on ageing, widowhood, and property rights in Bengal, Poorva Rajaram discussed masculinity and notions of “good ageing” in colonial insurance policies, and Suresh Babu examined the intersections of widowhood, welfare, and labour in Tamil Nadu.

A particular highlight was the public evening programme, featuring a conversation between the author Verena Lueken and Mary E. John about Lueken’s book "Alte Frauen" ("Old Women") which complemented the academic discussions.

Gender Norms in International Relations and Foreign Policy

Another important component of the workshop was the panel "The Contestation of Global Gender Norms", which focused on the role of gender norms in International Relations. Following an introduction by the panel conveners Ummu Salma Bava and Philipp Gieg, Julia Roth discussed global contestations surrounding women’s and gender rights and called for an analytical framework that situates local conflicts within broader global entanglements. Hanna Mühlenhoff examined the implications of the European Union’s geopolitical turn for gender justice in EU external relations. Philipp Gieg then turned to "India’s Contestation of Global Gender Norms", focusing in particular on the Modi government’s concept of Women-Led Development (Nari Shakti). Finally, Shubha Chacko analysed the role of gender issues within the BRICS grouping and highlighted the limited degree to which gender concerns have thus far been institutionalised.

New Perspectives for Research on Gender and International Relations

In the afternoon, the exploration of age(ing) in transcultural contexts continued. Roland Altenburger presented research perspectives on old age and ageing in late imperial China. Barbara Lotz examined representations of ageing, family dynamics, and historical memory in Hindi fiction, while Jörg Gengnagel discussed conceptions of life cycles, ageing, and seniority in premodern South Asian societies through the lens of Sanskrit anthologies. The subsequent concluding discussion revisited key themes from both days of the workshop, ranging from age(ing) and gender to transcultural perspectives and contemporary debates over global gender norms.

The workshop demonstrated how closely questions of gender, age(ing), social participation, and political order are intertwined. At the same time, it highlighted the value of transcultural and interdisciplinary research for advancing our understanding of social transformations in Europe and Asia. As a German-Indian research collaboration, ICAS:MP once again provided an important platform for intellectual exchange across disciplines.

ICAS:MP is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMFTR).