The Society for Queer Studies in Finland (SQS) – The SQS Journal (Web)

Editors: Varpu Alasuutari (Tampere), Merlin Sophie Bootsmann and Orlando Brix (Berlin), Barbara Dynda (Warsaw), and Ivo Zender (Bielefeld)

Proposals by – extended: 15.08.2022 (PDF)

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 we wish to see discussed in the SQS Special Issue on Affective Histories of Queer and Trans Activism. The editors encourage 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.

The editors invite abstracts from scholars across multiple disciplines and career stages from Ph.D. students to established scholars. They 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, etc.
• Discrimination and human rights: Wissenschaftlich-Humanitäres Committee, IGA, ILGA, etc.
• Black and Indigenous activism: pioneers, communities, historical erasure, etc.
• Health: depathologization, AIDS, gender affirmation, access to care, etc.
• 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, etc. Continue reading →