Dr Aleksandra Różalska works at the Department of Cultural Studies at the Faculty of Philology and is the Head of the Women’s Studies Centre at the University of Lodz. She is involved in the implementation of several international projects that we desribe below. Her research interests focus on American television discourses as well as anti-discrimination and pro-equality education.
What inspired you to become a scientist?
My interest in research certainly started at home, as my parents taught at a university. The last years of my studies resulted in a desire to deepen the topics I was interested in, especially in the fields of media studies, American studies and gender studies. The possibility of international scientific cooperation was another important reason.
What impact does your work have on the surrounding reality?
I believe that my scientific work contributes to raising awareness of issues of social inequalities and to a better understanding of vulnerable or excluded groups in various cultural contexts. On the other hand, my research in the field of critical analysis of media discourses indicates the crucial importance of media and intercultural education in the educational process.
How do you understand the term: profession of a scientist?
I associate being a scientist with curiosity and the desire to thoroughly analyse the phenomena and processes around us. It is also important for me to be sensitive to the opinions of other researchers from different parts of the world and take their achievements into account in my scientific and didactic work.
Currently Dr Aleksandra Różalska is involved in the implementation of the following projects:
GEMMA is an international didactic project within the Erasmus Mundus programme, under which Master's Degree in Women's and Gender Studies are conducted. The project deals with equality and anti-discrimination policy in various socio-cultural contexts, as well as the causes and effects of social inequalities (including economic) and social exclusion due to various factors, such as gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, psychosexual orientation, etc. The studies also focus on issues such as international protection of human rights in various socio-political contexts, in particular minority rights, and analyse the phenomena of migration, refugee, citizenship and minority rights from the perspective of cultural, feminist and postcolonial studies. The project consortium includes
- University of Granada (Spain; Coordinator),
- University of Oviedo (Spain),
- University of Bologna (Italy),
- Utrecht University (The Netherlands),
- University of York (UK),
- Central European University (Austria) and
- University of Lodz.
RESET (Redesigning Equality and Scientific Excellence Together) is a project that aims at ensuring real equalisation of opportunities for women and men in research institutions. The project implementation aims at creating space within which female and male researchers will be able to fully realise their scientific and organisational potential. RESET uses an intersectional approach to the concept of gender equality and aims to develop Gender Equality Plans (GEP), which will be implemented in the project partner institutions based on the analysis of needs and experiences of each of them. The project objective is also to develop and implement anti-discrimination and equality training. The initiative is funded under the prestigious European Union Horizon 2020 programme and seven European universities are participating in it: University of Bordeaux (France; project coordinator), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), University of Lodz (Poland), University of Porto (Portugal), Ruhr University of Bochum (Germany), University of Oulu (Finland) and the Institute of Political Science in Paris (France).
Invisible heroes of science – theRESET project campaign has been launched
In the FEAST (Food Systems That Support Transitions to Healthy and Sustainable Diets) project, partners representing various fields and scientific disciplines, working in various types of institutions (public, private and social ones) have decided to comprehensively approach the challenge of analysing eating behaviours of vulnerable social groups, taking into account geographical, socio-economic, behavioural, gender and cultural determinants. By “vulnerable social groups”, the project primarily means non-privileged groups, i.e. groups with unequal, relatively poor access to resources and/or with a relatively lower socio-economic status. The University of Lodz team will focus on senior citizens – their eating patterns and special dietary requirements. The aim of the project, apart from the research, education and training dimensions, is to develop recommendations in the field of food policy, especially in relation to care institutions for older people in Poland. Senior-Wigor adult day care centre in Tuszyn joined the cooperation with scientists and it will function as a "test environment" (Living Lab) for further research, workshop and implementation activities. The consortium, established for 5 years under the Horizon Europe programme, brings together as many as 35 partners from 15 EU Member States, and is coordinated by the University of Heidelberg (Germany).
More information about Dr Aleksandra Różalska's work:
Gender Equality Board Has Been Appointed by the University of Lodz (in Polish)
ORCID
Scopus
Source: Dr Aleksandra Różalska (Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz)
Edit: Michał Gruda (Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz)
The mission of the University of Lodz is to conduct reliable research and actively disseminate facts and research results so as to wisely educate future generations, be useful to society and courageously respond to the challenges of the modern world. Scientific excellence is always our best compass. Our values include: courage, curiosity, commitment, cooperation and respect.