Research - Dr. Christin Hansen
Research interests and key areas of work
- Research into historical stereotypes
- History of discourse
- National movements and concepts of nationhood
- Colonial history
- Gender history
- Spanish Civil War
Habilitation project: Internationale Beteiligung von Frauen am Spanischen Bürgerkrieg: Konzepte und Praktiken weiblicher Partizipation in der Zwischenkriegszeit
10/2021 - 10/2027
The participation of volunteers from other countries during wars is not a new phenomenon in history: in the wars of the 19th and 20th centuries, women from abroad, alongside men, took on various roles, of which the traditional ones – such as supply work or nursing – are particularly well remembered. Beyond these traditional roles, however, the voluntary participation of women in armed conflicts has, to date, been surprisingly little studied. In this project, the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) serves as a case study: Amidst the ideological conflicts between communism and anti-communism, and fascism and anti-fascism, women were able to reposition themselves in previously unknown ways, thereby opening up new spheres of action and roles for themselves within the context of the war. This makes it possible to understand the rapid transformation of gender relations and roles during the interwar period against the backdrop of radical ideological, military and pacifist conflicts. The Spanish Civil War is thus understood in the project as a space in which both the involvement of women (and men) on the ground and the reception or evaluation of this involvement by the participants themselves and their communities of origin are examined.
The project thus not only contributes to gender history but also opens up a new perspective on war as a site of negotiation for processes of participation.
Paderborn Postkolonial
09/2022 - 10/2025
In many German and European cities (e.g. Paris, Berlin, Freiburg, Bielefeld), there are dedicated working groups examining the local postcolonial legacy: Which citizens of their own city and region were active in the colonies in Africa or Asia in the 19th century, e.g. as traders, entrepreneurs, soldiers, administrative officials or missionaries? What relationships and networks were established between the colonies and the ‘mother country’? What material goods (e.g. commodities, art or everyday objects) were exchanged? What power structures developed, and how were they shaped and utilised? The aim of this student project is to examine Paderborn’s postcolonial history in greater detail by identifying key figures and their networks and analysing their activities.
Objectives and approach
Students will write blog posts on the colonial history of Paderborn.
Interdisciplinary aspects and transfer
We are working closely with the Paderborn City and District Archives (Wilhelm Grabe).
