Reflexive Human Categorization. Self-Problematisations of Sexual and Gendered Belonging (D02 (ehem.A03))

• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 442261292

The project explores how individuals reflexively problematize their belonging to gendered and sexual human categories. In Phase I, it focused on the construction of “disabled sexuality” within the field of educational programs. Building on this, the current phase investigates self-problematisations of gender and sexual belonging in three constellations: therapy and counselling, peer groups, and digital discourses. These are analysed as contexts in which individuals question, change, or resignify their categorical positioning. The project combines ethnographic research, interviews, focus groups, and digital discourse analysis. Its aim is to make micro-level processes of reflexive human categorization visible and to explore their entanglement with broader social meaning structures.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1482: Studies in Human Differentiation
• Applicant Institution: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
• Project Head: Dr. Tobias Boll