The deadline for submitting session proposals has passed. Stay tuned for a schedule of accepted sessions!

 

We seek a variety of projects which critically* explore: trans* identity, practice, communities and embodiment, etc. in contexts of race, class, (in)accessibility, health, citizenship, higher education, and rights within: legal, activist, medical, anthropological, sociological, psychological, artistic, cinematic, literary, linguistic, moral, social, (geo) political, philosophical, and religious dimensions, among others.

We are also looking towards a special ‘track’ theme in the area of trans law, with the intention of making Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit available to attorneys. We invite proposals on any area listed below (or any others) that relate to this track theme, as well as any areas related to the conference.

In addition to academic analysis, we welcome the submission of work around activist struggles and academic accountability to the trans community, creative works, and other approaches from community members and activists and others for whom trans existence and experience is salient. We anticipate creating a gallery space for the display of visual/fine art and for the presentation of video, multimedia, and digital art.

We particularly invite the submission of work from persons of color, trans feminine experiences, activist struggles and academic projects invested in accountability to trans communities.

Papers, reports, work-in-progress and workshops are invited on issues related to any of the following themes:

1. Trans Law

• ENDA, Title VII, state/local/municipal protection for trans employees
• trans family law, marriage, divorce, custody
• immigration/asylum
• identity documents
• trans law in the law school/legal profession: recruitment/retention of trans law students, law professors, lawyers/judges, curriculum, trans clients
• trans communities and law enforcement: police and abuse, prosecution, incarceration

2. Trans Activism and the Academy

• academics and accountability
• exploitation of the trans community
• utility of research for advocacy and activist work
• types of activist struggles
• activist successes

3. Race and Trans Issues

• erasure of trans people of color
• criminalization of trans women of color
• racism within trans activist and academic movements

4. Trans Youth

• rights of trans students, campus issues
• bullying
• foster care, juvenile justice

5. Trans Persons and the Medical Establishment

• access to basic health care, insurance
• public health
• issues surrounding diagnosis, GID, gender ‘dysphoria’, hormone blockers
• psychological and psychiatric approaches

6. Trans Spirituality

• trans identities within religious communities (e.g, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism)
• indigenous spiritualities and practices

7. Representations of Trans Practice and Trans Persons

• anthropological and sociological (North Atlantic and beyond)
• medical and scientific
• legal opinions
• literary/fictional
• scripted entertainment (television, cinema), comedy, drama
• casting choices for FtM and MtF characters
• newspapers/newsmagazines
• online, blogs, social media
• documentaries, “reality” television, news programs
• particular types of trans erasure (e.g., FTM, folks of color, local trans practices)

300 word abstracts should be submitted by Sunday, January 15, 2012. Early submissions encouraged! If an abstract is accepted for the conference, a full draft paper should be submitted by Friday, February 3, 2012. Abstracts should be submitted to the Organizing Chairs; abstracts may be in Word, WordPerfect, or RTF formats, following this order:

(a) author(s), (b) institutional or organizational affiliation, (c) email address, (d) title of abstract, (e) body of abstract.

E-mails should be entitled: 2012 Trans*Studies Abstract Submission

Please use plain text (Times Roman 12) and abstain from using any special formatting, characters or emphasis (such as bold, italics or underline). We acknowledge receipt and respond to all paper proposals submitted. If you do not receive a reply from us in a week you should assume we did not receive your proposal; it might be lost in cyberspace! Try an alternative electronic route or resend.

Submit proposals to:

• Elijah Edelman, PhD Candidate, Public Anthropology, American University, elijah.edelman@american.edu
• Diane Klein, Professor of Law, University of La Verne College of Law, dklein@laverne.edu