BIP: The Contrasting Trajectories of Women’s Emancipation in the Interwar Years in Germany, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain

This Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) offers an in-depth exploration of the contrasting trajectories of women’s emancipation in five major European countries—Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain—during the pivotal interwar period (1918–1939). These two decades, marked by the aftermath of the First World War, the rise of authoritarian regimes, economic crises, and profound social transformations, provide a rich and complex context for analyzing the evolution of women’s roles and representations in both public and private spheres.

Please be aware that your home university may set a different application deadline depending on their internal selection process.

Registration dates 01 September 2025 01 December 2025

Course dates 13 April 2026 17 April 2026

Registration is now closed

Course Outline

This Blended Intensive Programme combines theoretical input, collaborative exploration, and creative output to encourage a deep, comparative understanding of women’s emancipation in the interwar years across Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

Students will work in thematic and transnational groups, engaging in a combination of:

Interactive lectures led by international academics and experts in history, gender studies, cultural studies, and discourse studies and political theory.
Practical workshops, including:

Visual and textual analysis (photos, propaganda, literary sources)
Biographical writing of historical female figures
Educational planning for teachers (pedagogical transposition)
Creative production for digital media (script writing, podcasting)
Seminars and forums for peer discussion and intercultural exchange.
Cultural activities (on-site), such as guided thematic visits and film screenings to deepen historical and cultural immersion.

The programme culminates in a final project, where students will present their research findings and reflections through a format of their choice:

Podcast
Short video
Oral presentation (in English or French)

Each project must demonstrate a clear engagement with a specific aspect of women’s emancipation in the interwar period, incorporate a comparative dimension, and reflect collaborative input.

Course Content

This Blended Intensive Programme explores the contrasting trajectories of women’s emancipation in interwar Europe through five main thematic axes, combining political history, cultural representations, and gender studies:

Modernity and Women’s Emancipation in the 1920s
A study of the social and cultural transformations that reshaped women’s roles after World War I: access to employment, evolving fashion, political activism, and the emergence of the modern woman.
The “Neue Frau” in Weimar Berlin
An analysis of this emblematic figure of modernity: the independent urban woman, active in public and artistic life, both celebrated and criticized in the media and political discourse of the time.
The Impact of Authoritarian Regimes: Fascism and Salazarism
An exploration of how authoritarian ideologies in Italy and Portugal affected women’s rights and roles: the rollback of freedoms, promotion of domestic ideals, natalist policies, and gendered propaganda.
Arts, Literature, and Female Figures
A focus on how women were portrayed in literature, the visual arts, film and other discourses during the interwar years, alongside an examination of women artists, intellectuals, and activists who shaped the cultural landscape.
Censorship, Engagement, and Resistance
An investigation into forms of female resistance against censorship and ideological oppression: underground networks, subversive writings, and forgotten female figures who challenged authoritarian systems.

Each topic will be addressed through a comparative and interdisciplinary lens, drawing on primary and secondary sources (archival materials, texts, images) and encouraging critical reflection on national differences and common trends across Europe.

Learning Outcomes

Following this course, students will be able to:

Analyze the evolution of women’s emancipation during the interwar period using a comparative and interdisciplinary approach, drawing on historical, cultural, and political perspectives.
Identify and critically assess the impact of authoritarian regimes on the roles and representations of women in different national contexts.
Develop intercultural communication and international collaboration skills through work in transnational thematic groups.
Interpret and contextualize primary sources (texts, images, audiovisual materials) relevant to gender history and cultural studies.
Reflect on the political and social legacies of gender relations during the interwar period and their relevance to contemporary debates on equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Apply creative and digital skills to design and produce media content (podcasts, videos, oral presentations) that showcases their research to a broader audience.
Demonstrate autonomy, critical thinking, and academic rigor in conducting individual and collaborative research, formulating well-structured arguments, and presenting results clearly and engagingly.

Requirements

Bachelor, Master, PhD level in Humanities
Interest in women’s history and gender studies
French B2 or English B2 level required

Agenda

Day 1

Introduction & Contextualization

Morning:

Welcome of participants
Presentation of the BIP programme & goals
Roundtable: participating universities

Afternoon:

Intercultural icebreaker
Lecture 1: Women and Modernity in the 1920s
Thematic group launch workshop (Group work: comparative mind mapping)

Day 2

Case Studies: France and Portugal

Morning:

Lecture 2: Women in the Roaring Twenties (France)
Lecture 3: The Forgotten Portuguese Feminism

Afternoon:

Workshop: analysis of visual sources (photos, posters)

Day 3

Case Studies: Germany and Italy

Morning:

Lecture 4: The “Neue Frau” in Weimar Berlin
Lecture 5: Women and Fascism in Italy

Afternoon:

Creative workshop: writing biographical sketches of historical women
Didactical workshop for future teachers: how to implement a class session based on cultural studies (didactical objectives, competences, language
activities)
Project work: scripting of podcasts/videos

Day 4

Morning:

Film projection “Midnight in Paris”

Afternoon:

Cultural visit at the Cave Biancchi (important location of Magic in the Moonlight.)

Day 5

Final Presentation & Closing

Morning:

Lecture 6: female Spanish artists in the twenties
Feedback and exchange about the week (wooclap, wordcloud)

Afternoon:

Cultural visit in Nice following the steps of female figures of the 1920 (Coco Chanel, Chateau Crémat)

Virtual Component

Practical details regarding the virtual component:

February 1 – March 29: Project presentation, hybrid lectures, reading
April 20 – 24: Feedback and evaluation

Platform: Moodle/Zoom

Activities: thematic seminars, forums, podcast production

The virtual component aims to:
– Introduce the programme’s key topics progressively
– Provide historical, cultural, and methodological resources shared by all participants
– Enable each student to carry out personal research on a topic related to women’s
emancipation in the interwar period
– Actively prepare students for the collaborative workshops to be held in Nice

This phase is designed to foster student autonomy while offering flexible online support.

February 1st, 2026
Kick-off session (2 hours, via Zoom)
General presentation of the BIP, its themes, pedagogical expectations, and guidelines for individual work. Distribution of resources by thematic group.

February 1st – March 29th, 2026
Independent online work (asynchronous)
– Access to pedagogical materials (videos, readings, visual sources) via the Moodle platform
– Selection of a personal research topic related to the BIP theme (notable woman, artistic movement, education policy, gendered laws, form of activism, propaganda, etc.), to be presented between April 20th and 24th.

April 20th–24th, 2026
Feedback session (2 hours, Zoom)
Online session to share and discuss completed work, review the virtual phase, and prepare for the finalisation of collaborative projects. Possible formats for the final individual assignment (choose one):

– Written text: a short historical or cultural essay (approx. 1,200 words)
– Commented slideshow: 10 to 12 slides with concise explanatory text
– Audio or video capsule (max. 5 minutes)

This final stage is a key moment to assess progress, boost motivation, and support the continuation of each student’s academic or professional journey.

Professors

University of Seville: Ramon Blanco Barrera
University of Leipzig: Christiane Neveling
University of Turin: Franca Bruera
University of Porto: Alexandra Guedes Pinto

Application Process

The selection is done by your home institution.
Registration open: 1 Sept – 1 Dec 2025
Documents required: CV, motivational letter.
This BIP is only open to 5 participants per university (and only for the University of Seville: 5 students and 5 staff). This BIP is a collaboration between the four universities : University of Seville, University of Leipzig, University of Turin and University of Porto.