Andrew Shield and Ann Marie Wilson receive seed grant for their project 'Transnational Gay/Lesbian Activism since the 1960s'
Andrew DJ Shield (History) and Ann Marie Wilson (Leiden University College) have been awarded a seed grant for their project, “Transnational Gay/Lesbian Activism since the 1960s.” Granted: €3000.
A new platform for Queer History at Leiden University
At this moment in 2018, there is a huge demand—among historians, social scientists, and the general public—for research on the intellectual and socio-cultural history of sexuality. Through the LGI Seed fund, Dr. Shield and Dr. Wilson will build a network of scholars who can develop a new paradigm for understanding the transnational influence of Dutch lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activists on international activism for sexual emancipation since the 1960s.
Working against the dominant Anglo-world bias in queer history, this network will bring together scholars who focus on global interactions between LGBT activists worldwide. It will also strengthen the practice of queer history at Leiden University by providing a platform for exchange among students, researchers, journalists, and activists. In particular, Shield and Wilson hope to foster research into the unique role of Dutch actors in transnational LGBT networks and organizations. How did leading Dutch activists—who ultimately influenced much of the international discussion of sexual rights—communicate with spokespeople in diverse parts of the world, from Scandinavia to the United States to Curaçao? How did activists interact with state actors, both within the Netherlands and abroad? Both Shield and Wilson are pursuing research projects that examine how the Netherlands’ unique position in the 1960s-1990s—during a time of growing European integration—fostered global activist and advocacy networks that continue to have influence today.
The network will launch in Spring 2019 with two full-day symposia drawing participation from invited scholars from both Leiden and abroad. The first, “Queer Global Connections: Then and Now,” focuses on migration, diversity, and transnational communication from queer and historical angles. The second, “Queer Studies Under Attack,” examines the politicization of debates on queer history in the past decades: why is it more important than ever to study queer history today?
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Andrew DJ Shield, a.d.j.shield@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Dr. Ann Marie Wilson, a.m.wilson@luc.leidenuniv.nl