2013 Conference

General Keynote:

"Atlas Shrugging: The Impossible Queer Desire of Ayn Rand" (video)

Lisa Duggan, American Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, New York University 

Conference Keynotes:

"Mobilising Queer Theory for a Materialist Understanding of Space and the International" (audio)

Vivienne Jabri, War Studies, Kings College London

"(Im)possibly and Necessarily Queering States/Nations" (audio)

Spike Peterson, International Relations/Gender Studies, University of Arizona        

"The (Im)possibly Queer International Feminist Politics of Solidarity in Central and Eastern Europe" (audio)

Jon Binnie, Geography, Manchester Metropolitan University

"The Queer Question" (audio)

Rahul Rao, SOAS 

Question and Answers with Rahul Rao and Spike Peterson (audio)

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2nd Annual Conference 

May 17-19, 2013

University of Sussex, Brighton, England

(Im)possibly Queer International Feminisms

Feminists taught us that the personal is political.  International Relations feminists taught us that the personal is international.  And contemporary Queer Scholars are teaching us that the international is queer.  While sometimes considered in isolation, these insights are connected in complex and sometimes contradictory ways. This conference seeks to bring together scholars and practitioners to critically consider the limits and possibilities of thinking, doing, and being in relation to various assemblages composed of queer(s), international(s), and feminism(s).

Questions to consider include:  Who or what is/are (im)possibly queer, (im)possibly international, (im)possibly feminist, separately and in combination?  What makes assemblages of queer(s), international(s) and feminism(s) possible or impossible?  Are such assemblages desirable – for whom and for what reasons?  What might these assemblages make possible or impossible, especially for the theory and practice of global politics?

Sub-themes include (Im)Possibly Queer/International/Feminist:

• Heteronormativities/Homonormativities/Homonationalisms
• Embodiments/Occupations/Economies/Circulations
• Temporalities/‘Successes’/‘Failures’
• Emotions/Desires/Psycho-socialities
• Technologies/Methodologies/Knowledges/Epistemologies
• Spaces/Places/Borders/(Trans)positionings
• States/Sovereignties/Subjectivities
• Crossings/Migrations/Trans(gressions)
• (In)Securities