Organized by: The European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA)
- Network for the Anthropology of Gender and Sexuality
Convenors: Soledad Cutuli and Rafael Cazarin - Network for Anthropology and Social Movements
Convenors: Christine Hammerling, Marion Naser-Lather and Piotr Goldstein
In partnership with:
- Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender, University of Brighton
- Anthropology, Diversity and Integration Group, Complutense University of Madrid
Tales of Resistance
Contemporary societies are witnessing a resurgence of conservative and right-wing ideologies that challenge hard-won social and political gains, particularly in the realm of gender and sexuality. These movements, characterized by a backlash against progressive social change, not only target women and LGBTIQ+ communities but also threaten to erode rights and freedoms across a spectrum of social justice issues. We observe a concerted effort to dismantle reproductive rights, social safety nets, and promote discriminatory policies that marginalize and oppress vulnerable populations. This workshop seeks to critically examine the multifaceted challenges posed by these contemporary conservative and right-wing actors and movements and explore the diverse strategies employed by social movements to resist oppression and build a more just and equitable world.
View the original call for contributions
A Call to Action
This call invites anthropologists and scholars from neighbouring disciplines – sociology, history, political science, gender studies, and beyond – to contribute to this critical inquiry. Participants are encouraged to explore creative approaches, combining rigorous critical theory with innovative methodologies. The event will also serve as a platform to share insights from different cultural and regional contexts, fostering a rich dialogue among scholars and activists.
While focusing on the challenges women and LGBTIQ+ communities face, this workshop aims to foster a broader understanding of the interconnectedness of social justice struggles. We encourage submissions that examine the broader impacts of conservative ideologies on a range of social justice issues to address the following questions:
- How are feminist and LGBTIQ+ movements resisting the current backlash against gender and sexual diversity, and what strategies are they employing?
- How do intersecting systems of power (e.g., race, class, colonialism) shape resistance strategies and the effectiveness of social movements?
- What is the role of digital activism and transnational collaborations in strengthening and sustaining feminist and LGBTIQ+ movements?
- What are the cultural and political factors driving the backlash against gender and sexual diversity, and how can different movements effectively counter these forces?
Themes
By examining how these actors and movements mobilize, articulate their ideologies, and exert political influence, we can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing progressive social change in the contemporary world. This workshop provides a valuable platform for scholars to share their research findings, engage in critical dialogue, and collaboratively explore pathways for resistance and transformation.
We welcome papers addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Resistance to right-wing, conservative Ideologies
- Intersectionality in Practice
- Neoliberalism
- Gender Justice in Sports and the Arts
- Crosscutting Environmental issues
- Creative and Arts-Based Resistance
- Digital Activism and Online Mobilization
- Decolonial and Majority World Perspectives
- Mental health and Activism
Keynote Speakers:
- José Ignacio Pichardo Galán, Complutense University of Madrid
- Gabriel Hoosain Khan, CTSG University of Brighton
Workshop Session:
- Creative Resistance CCoLab: An interactive workshop on arts-based participatory methods
Submission Guidelines:
- Deadline: February 8th, 2025
- Submission: Submit an abstract (max. 300 words) with a title and rationale, along with a short bio (max. 150 words) to nags.enqa2023(at)gmail.com
- Notification: Accepted participants will be notified by February 11th, 2025.
Funding Support
Limited travel and accommodation subsidies may be available. Please indicate your need for financial assistance in your submission. Priority will be given to early-career scholars and those without institutional funding.
Note: Participants must be EASA members to receive funding. Membership details are available at: https://easaonline.org/membership/
Workshop Report
The workshop “LGBTIQ+ Feminist Resistance and Empowerment Against Conservative Ideologies”, organized by the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) Network for Anthropology and Social Movements and the EASA Network for the Anthropology of Gender and Sexuality took place on March 10th and 11th, 2025 at the Complutense University of Madrid (partly hybrid), in cooperation the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender, University of Brighton, and the Anthropology, Diversity and Integration Group, Complutense University of Madrid.
Contemporary societies are witnessing a resurgence of conservative and right-wing ideologies that challenge hard-won social and political gains, particularly in the realm of gender and sexuality. These movements, characterized by a backlash against progressive social change, not only target women and LGBTIQ+ communities but also threaten to erode rights and freedoms across a spectrum of social justice issues. We observe a concerted effort to dismantle reproductive rights, social safety nets, and promote discriminatory policies that marginalize and oppress vulnerable populations. This workshop critically examined the multifaceted challenges posed by these contemporary conservative and right-wing actors and movements and explored the diverse strategies employed by social movements to resist oppression and build a more just and equitable world.
Following a welcoming and introductory session by Rafael Cazarin, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) Maria Soledad Cutuli (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) an Christine Hämmerling (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen), it started of with a panel on gender-based violence with project presentations by Judith Goetz on Strategies Against Extreme Right-Wing Instrumentalization of Gender-Based Violence and by researchers around Nikolina Janjic (research partners: Carolina Andrade Amaral /Jordi Bonet-Martí / Barbara Biglia) on the Antifeminist Backlash and Gender-Based Violence Denial in Generation Z.
This was followed by a panel on “Mobilizing against Anti-Gender” with papers by Piotr Goldstein on Local Polish-Argentinian-Ukrainian Networks and Inspirations in Berlin, by Mina Baginova on The Emergence of a New Wave of Feminist Social Movements in Central and Eastern Europe, and by José Barrera Blanco on Resistance and Mobilization of LGBTIQ+ Believers within the Spanish Catholic Church.
Neoliberal perspectives were brought forth by Anita Fuentes and Ekaitz Cancela Rodríguez who were presenting their research on Feminist Resistance in the Age of Techno-Capitalism: Rethinking Digital Feminism from the Global South, by Lilu Knape who talked about Queer-Feminist Resistance in Beyoğlu: Navigating Neoliberal Urbanism, Securitization, and Antifeminist Mobilizations Through Time and Space and by Sascha Sistenich with his presentation onPrefigurations of Social Transformation in Queer Movements & Activism in Germany.
The first day closed with a creative workshop withGabriel Hoosain Khan (CTSG University of Brighton), a self-reflexive, hands-on session of the CCoLAB / Creative Resistance.
The second day started with two presnetations on Homo-Nationalism @ Rainbow Washing, by Ramil Zamanov (on Post-Soviet ‘Homo-Nationalist Attempts’: Azerbaijan’s Authoritarian Turn, the Second Karabakh War, and the Illusion of Queer Inclusion) and by Nirina Jett Morgan (on Making a Case Against Homonationalism: Colonial Legacies in the Home Office’s Rainbow Washing of Queer Asylum).
This led to discussing these topics in a panel on resistance: Annelie Neumann discussed Homonational Imaginaries and Heteronormative Exclusions in Times of Increasingly Restrictive Migration Policies and Pelin Çakir presented a study on When Intimacies Aid in Reproducing Resistance Amidst Violence and Oppression.
A last panel gathered findings on Historical Perspectives, looking at Emrys Travis’ work onGay Identity, Queer Resistance, and the Horizon of Liberation as well as Ruby Mascarenhas’ studies on Tales of Transgression in Troubled Times: Transcestrality, Trans-Agency, and Trans-Resistance in Trajectories Between Brazil and Germany.
An in- and outside-workshop by Elisabeth Pedersen (University of Brighton) explored ecofeminism and community engagement creatively as well as from a self-reflexive perspective. A professional guided city tour, the Chueca Tour, through Madrid with José Ignacio Pichardo Galán (Complutense University of Madrid) ledworkshop participants to significant spaces and places throughout the city centre in regards to the history of fighting for LGBTQI+ rights in Madrid.
Notes by Christine Hämmerling, September 1st 2025