Call for Abstracts | LGBTQ Oral History Digital Collaboratory

How have queer and trans activists challenged the repressive status quo in the past? Which forms have queer and trans activism taken over the decades? What role do emotions and affects play in activism – and how can affect theory be utilized in the study of queer and trans histories and temporalities?

These are among the questions that will be addressed in the workshop on affective histories of queer and trans activism, which is the first event to be organized by the Academy of Finland funded research project “Affective Activism: Sites of Queer and Trans World-Making” (2021-2025). The event, to be held at Tampere University on 5-6 May 2022, consists of public keynotes by Professor Elspeth Brown (University of Toronto, Canada) and Professor Laurel Westbrook (Grand Valley State University, Michigan, U.S.) and a two-day workshop where participants’ work-in-progress papers will be commented on by the keynote speakers, organizers, and fellow participants.

We invite abstracts from scholars across multiple disciplines and career stages from Ph.D. students to established scholars. In the workshop, we will engage in discussions on cutting-edge theoretical and methodological approaches to queer and trans histories, including e.g. affect theory, queer studies, trans studies, oral history, cultural history, social history, and contemporary history.

We invite submissions that address queer and trans histories from a variety of perspectives. They may include but are not limited to the following:

Historical struggles:

Repressive laws: criminalization, propaganda laws, clause 28
Discrimination and human rights: Wissenschaftlich-Humanitäres Committee, IGA, ILGA
Black and Indigenous activism: pioneers, communities, historical erasure
Health: depathologization, AIDS, gender affirmation, access to care
Religion, spirituality: challenging conservative institutions, LGBTQ+ churches, MCC, etc.

Forms of activism:

Organizing: founding and running of local, national, and international organizations and movements, CCO, Federation of 1948, RFSL, Seta, ACT UP
Publishing: books, journals, zines, music
Early internet: LGBTQ+ presence in the early internet, online communities
Protests and marches: Compton Cafe Riot, Stonewall Riots, Pride movement
Events: Gay Games, Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, World AIDS Day, Transgender Day of Remembrance
Alternative forms of living: communities, Womyn’s land, etc.

Current engagements with LGBTQ+ histories

Archival activism, museum activism
Artistic activism
Memorials and monuments
LGBTQ+ History Month, Queer History Month
Studying LGBTQ+ histories as activism

The maximum number of accepted papers will be 12. Attendance is limited by registration only. Participation is free of charge, but participants are expected to cover their travel and accommodation costs, as well as their own meals.

The workshop is intended to take place in person, so in-person participation is prioritized (if allowed by the COVID-19 pandemic). If necessary, there will be a possibility for online participation as well. If you intend to participate online, please consider the time zone (from 9:00 to 17:00 EEST, UTC+03:00).

Please submit your abstract (max. 300 words) and a short bio (max. 100 words) by January 14, 2022 to affectiveactivism@tuni.fi.

Decisions on acceptance will be made by January 28, 2022. The accepted participants are expected to submit a work-in-progress paper of 8-10 pages by April 19, 2022. The papers will be circulated among the participants, and all participants are expected to read and comment on them.

We explore a possibility to co-edit a special issue based on papers developed in the workshop, to be published in a European queer studies journal.

For further information on the workshop, please contact Dr. Tuula Juvonen at tuula.juvonen@tuni.fi and Dr. Varpu Alasuutari at varpu.alasuutari@tuni.fi. The workshop is organized by the research project “Affective Activism: Sites of Queer and Trans World-Making”, funded by the Academy of Finland (341571).

For further info on the project, visit our website.