This seminar brings together a wide range of scholars, practitioners and other experts in queer migration related themes. Within the broad interdisciplinary field of queer migration studies, scholars have dealt with the question of defining queer migration. For this event we take a rather broad definition of queer migration, as we include all queer people with a personal migration experience, whether largely motivated by their queer identity or not.
In a Blue-Sky thinking format, the seminar aims to push participants to think beyond their own disciplines and to collectively envision futures of queer migration studies. This includes taking a closer look at gaps in literature in relation to practice, experiences, positionality and power differentials and discuss how to proactively respond as queer migration scholars and experts. To do justice to our participants’ diversity in expertise and experience, the day will touch upon different themes. Amongst others, we will deal with questions around queer diasporas and belonging, intersectionality, different forms of local and transnational solidarity initiatives and movements, the history of queer migration and the existence of queerphobic and anti-migrant socio-political climates.
Through a guided brainstorming process, the day will generate ideas on relevant focus areas for those working in the field of queer migration. Moreover, it will be an opportunity for people from different backgrounds and disciplines and across different stages of their career to connect. In this way, we aim to foster meaningful future collaborations.
The program consists of several brief presentations of scholars in the field. This will allow to kickstart the dialogue. Furthermore, we will provide the tools to facilitate the Blue-Sky thinking process, a process that in essence entails thinking with creative imagination.
For those working or studying at Leiden University, please bring you LU-card.
For additional questions, reach out to Jamel Buhari, j.l.j.buhari@hum.leidenuniv.nl or Mirjam Twigt, m.a.twigt@hum.leidenuniv.nl.