Katja Kauer

Katja Kauer is an active academic researcher specializing in Gender and Diversity Studies at the Center for Gender and Diversity Research (ZGD) at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. She has held her current position as Associate Scientist since 2022, with additional affiliation at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland). Her academic career spans multiple institutions including the University of Magdeburg, where she served as Privatdozentin since 2012, and numerous teaching appointments across Europe.

Dr. Kauer's research focuses on Gender Studies, Queer Theory, and Literary Analysis, with particular expertise in 18th-19th century literature, contemporary literature, and pop culture. Her work critically examines love discourses, recognition politics, and the intersections of gender with literature and media. She has developed innovative approaches to feminist and queer reading practices, as evidenced by her monographs 'Feministisch lesen' (2024) and 'Queer lesen' (2019).

Her recent publications reveal a consistent engagement with heteronormativity critique, emotional capitalism, and the representation of gender in contemporary culture. The 15 most recent articles demonstrate her interdisciplinary approach, bridging literary analysis with sociological and philosophical perspectives on gender construction. Her work frequently examines how literary texts reflect and challenge dominant gender norms across historical periods.

Dr. Kauer has supervised numerous graduate theses focusing on gender representation in literature, with topics ranging from social media feminism to representations of motherhood and female friendship. Her teaching portfolio includes courses on queer theory, gender studies, and literary analysis across multiple institutions.

She is actively involved in organizing international conferences on gender topics, with upcoming events scheduled through 2026. Her current teaching for Summer Semester 2025 includes courses on 'Queering Barbie,' 'Love, Classism and the Capitalist Production of Emotions,' and 'Bodies In-Between.'