Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RESIST (Fostering Queer Feminist Intersectional Resistances against Transnational Anti-Gender Politics)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2023-09-30
RESIST addresses ‘anti-gender’ politics that imperil equality, gender and sexual diversity, and legitimacy of critical knowledge in contemporary Europe.
The project understands ‘anti-gender’ politics to be multiple and manifesting differently in diverse national contexts across Southern, Eastern, and Western Europe. They are present across the political spectrum of centrist, left– and right–wing orientations, spanning from illiberal and authoritarian regimes to those considered liberal and democratic. Inspired by intersectional perspectives, we understand ‘anti-gender’ politics to be multifaceted as they limit gendered freedoms, challenge trans* inclusion, question multiculturalism and gender and sexual equality. While they undermine critical studies of race and academic freedoms, ‘anti-gender’ politics result in dangerous consequences for freedoms of speech and press, reproductive justice, sexual and gender diversity, and self-determination.
During stage 1 we have mapped how ‘anti-gender’ politics are produced and expressed in contemporary Europe, paying attention to the national case studies examining the United Kingdom, Poland, Switzerland, and Hungary as particularly important and revealing sites of the complexity of ‘anti-gender’ politics. In stage 2 we will examine the effects of ‘anti-gender’ politics on everyday lives and forms of resistance, by using interviews, focus groups and a survey in nine case studies: Ireland, Spain, France, Poland, Switzerland, Germany, Belarus, Greece, and transnational study of people living in exile in Europe.
Crucial to our project is to learn about the queer feminist practices of resistance against ‘anti-gender’ politics, how they function and are theorised in autonomous, grassroots collectives and organisations in our transnational and country cases. This will be explored in stages 3 and 4.
We will collaborate with 40 queer-feminist groups to engage in mutual learning and support in creating grounded knowledges that amplify marginalised voices.
The project understands ‘anti-gender’ politics to be multiple and manifesting differently in diverse national contexts across Southern, Eastern, and Western Europe. They are present across the political spectrum of centrist, left– and right–wing orientations, spanning from illiberal and authoritarian regimes to those considered liberal and democratic. Inspired by intersectional perspectives, we understand ‘anti-gender’ politics to be multifaceted as they limit gendered freedoms, challenge trans* inclusion, question multiculturalism and gender and sexual equality. While they undermine critical studies of race and academic freedoms, ‘anti-gender’ politics result in dangerous consequences for freedoms of speech and press, reproductive justice, sexual and gender diversity, and self-determination.
During stage 1 we have mapped how ‘anti-gender’ politics are produced and expressed in contemporary Europe, paying attention to the national case studies examining the United Kingdom, Poland, Switzerland, and Hungary as particularly important and revealing sites of the complexity of ‘anti-gender’ politics. In stage 2 we will examine the effects of ‘anti-gender’ politics on everyday lives and forms of resistance, by using interviews, focus groups and a survey in nine case studies: Ireland, Spain, France, Poland, Switzerland, Germany, Belarus, Greece, and transnational study of people living in exile in Europe.
Crucial to our project is to learn about the queer feminist practices of resistance against ‘anti-gender’ politics, how they function and are theorised in autonomous, grassroots collectives and organisations in our transnational and country cases. This will be explored in stages 3 and 4.
We will collaborate with 40 queer-feminist groups to engage in mutual learning and support in creating grounded knowledges that amplify marginalised voices.
The scientific elements of RESIST have focused in the first 12 months on mapping how ‘anti-gender’ politics are produced and expressed in contemporary Europe, paying particular attention to the national case studies examining the United Kingdom, Poland, Switzerland, and Hungary as particularly important and revealing sites of the complexity of ‘anti-gender’ politics. To this end, RESIST has completed data gathering across EU and national parliaments and media outlets, examining representations, mapping actors, identifying strategies, and exploring key controversies in the four mentioned contexts of the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Hungary and Poland. Completed the preparation of the database of anti-gender material and coded all data.
RESIST has created ethical application forms, processes and protocols to enable us to speak to people who are affected by ‘anti-gender’ mobilisations. These ethical reviews were ongoing at the conclusion of this reporting period.
RESIST has developed a robust data management plan and system and ensured the effective and efficient delivery of this research project.
RESIST has created ethical application forms, processes and protocols to enable us to speak to people who are affected by ‘anti-gender’ mobilisations. These ethical reviews were ongoing at the conclusion of this reporting period.
RESIST has developed a robust data management plan and system and ensured the effective and efficient delivery of this research project.
RESIST is on track to produce results from period 2.