Workshop “On (Not) Building and Raising a Queer Family”

On 27-29 January 2027, University of Lucerne, Switzerland, there is a workshop “On (Not) Building and Raising a Queer Family,” which examines queer families, kinship, reproduction, and non-parenthood in Europe through an intersectional lens. In the context of uneven legal, political, and cultural conditions, the workshop asks how queer people navigate pathways to parenthood, how cis-heteronormative norms shape family-making, and how power, inequality, and structural violence affect access to reproduction and parenting as well as experiences of choosing not to have children. Empirically grounded and conceptually rich papers are welcomed, especially on underexplored contexts and perspectives, including Eastern Europe, bisexual, asexual, nonbinary, intersex, trans, disabled, neurodivergent, and racialised queer people. The workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary exchange and will contribute to a planned special issue; junior scholars are especially encouraged to apply.

Further information can be found in the attached document.

You should send your abstract (max. 300 words), including a title, your name, position, institutional affiliation, and a short biographical note (max. 150 words), to the organisers by 8 June 2026.

Organisers

Carole Ammann (she/her; carole.ammann@unilu.ch), University of Lucerne

Leo Valentin Theissing (they/them; leo.theissing@unilu.ch) University of Lucerne

Caroline Chautems (she/her; caroline.chautems@unil.ch), University of Lausanne