Gender Prize

The Gender Prize for 2023 went to Alisa Otte for her Master's thesis entitled "Narrations of female failure in the novel around 1930 using the example of Mela Hartwig's 'Bin ich ein überflüssiger Mensch? Chronicle of a Woman's Life'". In her work, the prizewinner investigates female failure in two German-language novels from the 1930s. The prize was awarded during the meeting of the Academic Senate on 17 January 2024. The prizewinner presented her work and praised the excellent study conditions and supportive teaching staff in German Literature Studies. The Equal Opportunities Commission rated the work as innovative. On the one hand, Alisa Otte brings an almost forgotten author to the forefront of literary research; on the other hand, she examines a motif that has been and still is primarily associated with male characters - the motif of failure.

The work was rated as methodologically excellent. The author recognises the current state of research, but has not stood still.She has broadened the discourse, enriched the history of literature and offers many points of reference for further research and discussion of Mela Hartwig.Last but not least, the work is worthy of an award because it is written in an extremely elegant and comprehensible way without being imprecise.The research results are therefore also highly enjoyable to read for interested parties outside the specialist community. 
These are the words of the Equal Opportunities Commission. The Gender Prize is awarded annually by the Rectorate and the Central Equal Opportunities Officer of the University of Greifswald for academic work that takes the gender perspective into account in a special way. The prize is endowed with 500 euros. All current academic theses and doctoral dissertations from the University of Greifswald and Greifswald University Medicine can be submitted.

The Senate's Gender Equality Committee views the entries and makes a suggestion to the Central Gender Equality Officer and the Rectorate. The Rectorate decides on the award winner in agreement with the Gender Equality Officer. 

The following criteria are decisive for the selection process:

• The piece of work places special emphasis on the gender perspective
• The piece of work benefits and makes a significant contribution (scientific relevance) to gender research in the respective discipline
• The topic is innovative and future-orientated
• The topic is up to date
• Further research can be made on the topic

• 2023 - Alisa Otte, Master's thesis in German literature studies
• 2022 - Titia Ladewig, Bachelor's thesis in English/American Studies
• 2021 - Nele Marie Klamer, dissertation in Criminal Law 
•  2020 - Anna Lange, Masterarbeit in der Skandinavistik
•  2019 - Oksana Alekseev, Bachelor's thesis in Political Science
•  2018 - Sabrina Stock, Master's thesis in Culture - Interculturality - Literature
•  2017 - Nicole Rupschus, doctorate in theology
•  2016 - Jenny Linek, doctorate in Modern History and
               Georg Brosche, Master's thesis in German Literature