Luxury Problems: Lesekreis / Reading Group

Luxury Problems
Reading Group
Monday, 13th February 2017, 1pm

Archive photograph, Arab Image Foundation

Next Monday, the reading group will meet to discuss the so-called »headscarf debate«. From the hijab to the burka, the veil is today regarded by the media and politics of many Western countries, especially France, Germany, and the Netherlands, as a symbol of the oppression of women. But this narration is by no means new: The equation of unveiling and the liberation of women already legitimized the West’s colonial and missionary campaign. According to this line of argument, the Muslima wearing a veil is robbed of her self-determination and victimized. Based on emancipation, equality, and self-determination—basic concepts of white, Western feminisms—not only do new capitalistic mechanisms of exploitation emerge, neoliberal governments and right-wing, populist parties use them to provide grounds for patriarchal, racist, and islamophobic modes and practices of rule. Feminism is thus made an instrument for war, border controls, deportations, and racism. In the reading group, we would like to examine different lines of argument of these debates and raise the following questions: To what extent has Western modernity and secularism brought »progress« to women? Why are religious differences currently foregrounded so strongly? Why are Muslimas increasingly becoming the venue of »othering«?

The text is available via info@halle-fuer-kunst.de. Since the places where the reading circle gathers will vary each time, please ask for the respective meeting place by writing to this address.

The exhibition »Gebaerden und Ausdruck« with works by Liz Craft, Michaela Eichwald, Fanal, Birke Gorm, Julia Haller, Honey Suckle Company, Helena Huneke, Stefan Kern, Veit Laurent Kurz & Ben Schumacher & Stefan Tcherepnin and pcnc_bay is on view until February 19th 2017 at Halle fuer Kunst Lueneburg.

With generous support by Land Niedersachsen, Sparkassenstiftung Lueneburg, Lueneburgischer Landschaftsverband and Hansestadt Lueneburg.


Halle f. Kunst Lueneburg eV
Reichenbachstraße 2
Postfach 2128
D-21311 Lueneburg
T +49 4131 402001
F +49 4131 721344
info@halle-fuer-kunst.de
Oeffnungszeiten Ausstellung:
Mi – So, 14.00  – 18.00 Uhr 
und nach Vereinbarung
Buero: Di  – Fr, 11.00 – 18.00 Uhr