The conference aims to expand the spatial and thematic perspective of our previous work beyond the German-speaking world and place it in a broad context of international and intersectional research on queer history. In addition to this broadening, the conference is also intended to provide a space for academic policy discussion on the further anchoring of queer historical research.
For example, papers on the following topics are conceivable:
- Queer Temporalities: How does queer contemporary history perspective itself in temporal terms? How does it relate to the politics of memory? How does it think about the relationship between past - present - future? What alternative models of historical time does it offer?
- Queer power: What significance does the question of power have in analyses of queer contemporary history? What concepts of power, domination and violence does queer contemporary history work with and what findings does it arrive at?
- Queer subjectivities and identities: Is the concept of subjectivity or that of belonging in queer history merely a placeholder for that of identity, which is in any case thought of as hybrid and multi-layered in research contexts? How do the essentially anti-identitarian approach of queer studies and the study of historical identities fit together?
- Decolonizing Queer (German) History: How are the topics and actors of queer contemporary history interwoven into postcolonial power relations? How can we as researchers deal with this?
- Queer Histories and Trans Histories, together or separate? Is trans history a separate field of research, or do trans and queer history belong together? What conceptual differences and similarities can be identified between these two fields?
- Methods of queer contemporary history: What methods does queer historical research work with - perhaps in contrast to other fields of contemporary history? What knowledge gains, what (productive) problems do they entail?
- Queer public histories: What significance does queer contemporary history have in the public representation and presentation of history? What new and innovative forms and formats does a queer culture of remembrance and history produce?
- Queer activism and research: How does queer contemporary history locate itself in a (productively) ambiguous transitional area between activism and research? How do researchers make their own perspectives as activists usable for research - and vice versa: how do findings from queer historical research flow back into activism?
- Queer precarious working conditions: In what working conditions is queer history currently being 'made'? What could be the demands of queer contemporary history in terms of higher education and research policy?
We are looking forward to contributions that identify the theoretical and methodological foundations of the respective research and discuss them on the basis of historical objects or concrete sources.
When submitting your application, please bear in mind that the contributions will also be commented on at the respective panels at the conference. Therefore, if you are accepted to the conference, please submit your paper by June 17, 2024. The conference languages are German and English. Translation can be provided if required.
The deadline for submitting the proposal (300-500 words) is March 15, 2024, please send it by e-mail to Jonah Reimann: j.reimann@fu-berlin.de
You will be informed about the acceptance of your paper by April 15, 2024. Travel and accommodation costs will be covered by us.