25-26 July 2024 | Can CEE Lesbians Speak? Towards Central and Eastern European Lesbian Studies and Network
Date: Thursday, 25th July & Friday, 26th July 2024 
Time: DAY 1 & 2: 9.30am-5pm
Venue: Humanities Institute, H204
The purpose of the symposium is to think broadly and collectively about lesbians and lesbian studies in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in the context of art, literature, history, community, affect, sex, post- and decoloniality, and East/West connections and their inherent problems. While there is, of course, lesbian scholarship in existence across the region, it seems we have rarely spoken collectively, in dialogic form, or transnationally. In short, “lesbian studies” as a discipline has not yet been outlined or conceptualised in the region, unlike the more established investigations of gay masculinities and queerness.
This event is a methodologies-oriented workshop, discussing the current state of the field, different approaches to the subject, and opportunities and concerns of working with the knowledge we have thus far, as well as the obvious archival absences and gaps. I hope this symposium will serve us to look for connections, common methodologies and theorisations, and consider collective approaches to “lesbian” in the region and their challenges and shortcomings.
Event organiser: Dr Aleksandra Gajowy (UCD School of Art History & Cultural Policy, and HI member)
This symposium is generously supported by the National University of Ireland Early Career Research Grant, the UCD Humanities Institute Research Grant, the UCD Research Seed Fund Award, and the UCD EDI Committee Grant. Special thanks for support to Professor Kathleen James-Chakraborty and Dr Sean Leatherbury, UCD School of Art History and Cultural Policy.