Queer Memorial Culture: International Critical Perspectives
One-day Colloquium, School of Geography, University of Leeds
17 May 2019, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB)
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) in co-sponsorship with the Royal Geographical Society with the Institute of British
Geographers (RGS-IBG) and the RGS-IBG Space, Sexualities and Queer Research Group (SSQRG), and with the School of Geography, University of Leeds
Date and time: 17 May 2019, 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: School of Geography, University of Leeds, UK
Conveners:
Dr Martin Zebracki, Principal Investigator, and Professor Robert Vanderbeck, Co-Investigator, Queer Memorials: International Comparative Perspectives
on Sexual Diversity and Social Inclusivity (QMem), an AHRC-funded research project http://www.queermemorials.org
Important: Please see below for registration and payment information
Confirmed Speakers:
Alison Oram, Professor of Social and Cultural History, Leeds Beckett University, UK:
“Materiality and Memorialisation in LGBTQ Heritage: The Experience of ‘Pride of Place’”
https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/staff/professor-alison-oram
Joe Joe Orangias, visual artist, activist and writer, currently based in South Africa:
“Queer Monuments: An Analysis of their Cultural Functions, Social Potential and Place in the LGBTI+ Rights Movement”
http://www.joejoeorangias.com
Martin Zebracki, Associate Professor of Critical Human Geography, University of Leeds, UK:
“Queer Politics of Memorialisation: Insights from New York, Warsaw and Amsterdam”
https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/geography/staff/1124/dr-martin-zebracki
Full programme details will be announced closer to the date at the project link http://www.queermemorials.org
Overview:
This one-day Colloquium provides a forum for discussion on the theme of queer memorial culture as it relates to critically engaged social research
at the nexus of sexual diversity and social inclusivity from international and transcultural perspectives. It is organised as part of the AHRC-funded research project Queer Memorials http://www.queermemorials.org This
is the first major international research project of its kind to focus on public memorial sites with non-conformist sexuality content within comparative, contrasting contexts of the USA, Poland and the Netherlands.
This event pursues the specific lens of social engagement with public memorial sites (which can be material, performative, permanent or temporary
in nature) that are dedicated to, or associated with, the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus (LGBT+) people. The event is crucial at a moment when debates are intensifying about how to commemorate the lives of LGBT+ people, LGBT+ history,
memorialise victims of anti-LGBT+ violence, and promote social inclusivity.
This Colloquium asks how sexual and gender variant communities fall in and out of place through public art, memory and creative practice in the
everyday public life. What do LGBT+ commemorative sites mean and ‘do’ to people and place as experienced within and beyond LGBTQ communities? To what extent are such sites ‘queer’? Put differently, in what ways do, or do they not, question, or ‘que(e)ry’,
the norms and hegemonic discourses and practices that are ‘othering’ sexual and gender variance?
This event will combine keynote panels with smaller, interactive discussions. This format will allow participants to reflect upon the debated
issues as they further relate to their own research interests and activities.
The Colloquium is open to any interested academic and non-academic audiences and research users, including public policy, cultural industry,
and LGBT organising and activism. This event wants to be a supportive and mutual learning environment. It especially encourages participation from postgraduate and early-career researchers. A limited number of travel bursaries is available for students/postgraduates
and unwaged individuals to contribute towards travel expenses (see below).
Registration:
The cost of registration is £15 (£5 for students/postgraduates, unwaged individuals, or research-user organisations with limited resources).
The registration fee includes a light lunch and refreshments. Students/postgraduates and unwaged individuals can apply for bursaries (below). Research-user organisations with limited resources may contact Dr Martin Zebracki at M.M.Zebracki [AT] leeds.ac.uk
for a potential registration fee waiver.
The event is limited to 40 participants. Registration costs are non-refundable.
Please register for a ticket on this Eventbrite page, and then make payment at this site: https://store.leeds.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/environment/geography/queer-memorial-culture-international-critical-perspectives
Please register by 1 May 2019.
Travel bursaries:
Limited travel bursary applications (averaging £50 p.p.) are available through this link https://goo.gl/forms/0ygNgtJmPP5rWIsr1 Only
students/postgraduates and unwaged individuals can apply for travel bursaries. The closing date for travel bursary applications is 15 April 2019.
Travel bursaries are supported by the RGS-IBG and SSQRG.
Dr M. M. (Martin) Zebracki
Associate Professor of Critical Human Geography
School of Geography
University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT
United Kingdom
+44 (0) 113 34 33331
https://environment.leeds.ac.uk/geography/staff/1124/dr-martin-zebracki/
https://zebracki.org
https://twitter.com/zebracki