Call for Proposals – 2020 Annual Conference

Bridging Divides: Confronting Colonialism and Anti-Black Racism | Western University | May 31 – June 2, 2020

The Sexuality Studies Association welcomes proposals for our annual meeting; to be held May 31^st-June 2nd, 2020 at Western University (London, ON), in conjunction with the Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities. We invite proposals for work in English or French from any disciplinary, interdisciplinary, or transdisciplinary approach. Presentations can be in a variety of formats, including papers, panels, workshops, roundtables, film and video screenings, performance art pieces, exhibits, and cultural events. Proposals must be submitted through our online form in English or French. All presenters must pay 2020 membership dues to the association, as well as Congress and Conference Registration fees. To become a member of the SSA please register through our website here. The deadline for submission has been extended from the 10th to the 24th of November 2019.

We are pleased to have officially launched the Thomas Waugh Award for Best Paper by an Emerging Scholar. Eligibility for consideration is restricted to PhD students, post-doctoral fellows and recent graduates from PhD program (no less than 3 years) in continuing academic appointments. Eligibility will also require a submission of a full-length conference paper by March 30^th, 2020. The award recipient will receive $500, free registration to both Congress and the SSA, as well as the paper highlighted in the conference program. Please indicate on your proposal whether you want to be considered for this award.

Sexuality Studies encompasses at least the following:

• Two-spirit and Indigiqueer* critiques
• Queer of colour critique and sexualities
• Erotic rights to sexual health and education
• Challenges to the heteropatriarchal state
• Queer inter/trans disciplinary pedagogies
• Activist and artivist resistances, aesthetics and cultural production
• Archives, ephemera, epistemologies, futures, optimisms
• Sexual media and technology

*with acknowledgement to Thirza Cutland

This year, Congress has chosen the theme, “Bridging Divides: Confronting Colonialism and Anti-Black Racism”. The Sexuality Studies Association invites its members to consider ways that a/sexual and erotic subjects and communities gather to think through, and challenge with difference power and injustice. Furthermore, we argue that it is necessary to highlight the ways that whiteness frames heteronormative and homonormative sexual subjectivities and reproduces settler-colonialist and white supremist nations such as Canada. How can sexuality studies take advantage of its historical and contemporary efforts to draw on creative and erotic embodied knowledges rooted in pleasure and danger to engage in transformative actions? As subjects and communities “bridging divides” to confront colonialism and anti-black racism and listening deeply we may consider reflexive questions such as:

• How can sex, sexuality or asexuality inform the way we approach scholarship as an embodied, pleasurable and inclusive practice?
• How can we contribute meaningfully to decolonizing sexuality studies?
• How can we uncover and challenge ways that whiteness mediates sexuality studies?
• Who counts when forming trans/national sexual knowledge and communities?
• What are the ethical implications of doing art/activism/scholarship with, about, and for sexually marginalized communities?

We encourage proposals that define and expand upon the theme “Bridging Divides: Confronting Colonialism and Anti-Black Racism”. Submissions are welcome for individual presentations (max. 2 presenters, 20 minutes), panel sessions (max. 4 presenters, 75- 90 minutes), workshops (3-5 presenters, 75-90 minutes), roundtables (3-5 presenters, 75-90 minutes), film or video screenings (either 15 minutes or 75 minutes), and artistic performances (either 15 minutes or 75 minutes).

In particular, we invite indigenous perspectives on sexuality from international contexts, work by black queer and trans artists, scholars and activists, as well as contributions to this dialogue from scholars, artists and activist of colour so that we may create a gathering of global communities with varied histories. The Sexuality Studies Association (SSA) is a scholarly association for scholars, artists, activists, and all community members who have an interest in the teaching and study of sex, sexuality, and gender diversity. The SSA provides opportunities to connect the broader research, artistic, and activist communities, and encourages us to listen deeply, mentor and support each other in our work.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Program Officer, Dr. Carol Dauda at cdauda@uoguelph.ca.

SSA website: www.ssaaes.org

SSA membership form: French and English

SSA submission form: French | English

PDF of CFP available here.