International Workshop: Queer Worldmaking Amidst and beyond Religious Conservatism
International Workshop
Date: September 30th – October 1st 2024, FAU Erlangen- Nürnberg
QUEER WORLDMAKING AMIDST AND BEYOND RELIGIOUS CONSERVATISM
Jointly organized by:
- Ferdiansyah Thajib | Senior Lecturer | Elite Graduate Programme “Standards of Decision-Making Across Cultures” | University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
- PD Dr. Viola Thimm | Associate Professor | Elite Graduate Programme “Standards of Decision-Making Across Cultures” | University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)
The international workshop examines the intersection of queer identities and religious conservatism in Muslim societies through an interdisciplinary lens. It addresses how the term “queer” serves as a confident self-designation for those deviating from societal norms, challenging established conventions. The intersection of queerness with religious conservatism presents significant challenges in various Muslim societies, where queer Muslims often face opposition from orthodox religious attitudes that deem their queerness and faith incompatible. This results in double discrimination in Muslim minority contexts, restricting gender and sexual freedom and marginalizing non-heterosexual, non-binary, and transgender individuals.
On the other hand, the workshop also explores how religion and faith can empower non-heterosexual, non-binary, and transgender identities. The complex relationship between belonging and identity in religiously conservative environments can be a source of spiritual joy, inner peace and self-assurance for queer individuals. Coalitions among queer Muslims and their allies counteract dominant narratives and violent strategies by creating spaces, often underground, for developing queer-inclusive theological interpretations.
The project aims to inspire new visions and strategies for queer individuals living in religiously conservative Muslim societies, focusing on their sense of belonging, self-assurance, and empowerment. By bringing in engaged scholars from different geopolitical settings, the workshop seeks to critically engage with queer theory and practice within Muslim contexts, developing shared concepts, strategies, and tools for addressing transgressive, non-binary genders and sexualities from feminist, antiracist, and decolonial perspectives. This approach will provide a deeper understanding of the complex experiences of queer individuals in these environments, highlighting the intricate relationships between religion, gender, and sexuality, and offering insights into the diverse cultural, social, and theological dynamics at play.
On the second day of the workshop, there will be a public event titled “Sexuality as Sensory and Spiritual: An Art-Making Workshop Exploring Embodied Affective Experiences at the Intersection of Faith, Migration, Gender, and Sexuality.” Led by artist-activist Gabriel Hoosain Khan, this participatory art-making session will use body-mapping to examine themes of marginality and resilience. Participants will be invited to create body-maps that reflect how faith, migration, gender, and sexuality influence their lives. The session aims to explore how art-based methods can support marginalized communities and will conclude with a discussion on collective art-making as a means of healing, social analysis, and resistance to oppression. Additionally, the session will address the potential and challenges of arts-based research methods, including their ability to disrupt traditional academic practices and operate across borders and boundaries.