Decades have passed since the first published histories examining aspects of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer life, or analysing social movements made
up by LGBTIQ people. Historical work on LGBT or queer “issues” is now more accepted in the academy than ever before, and has enriched our knowledge
enormously. However, postgraduate historians working on LGBT research topics – at least in the UK – have no recognisable network to call upon, lack any clear idea of
what this “generation” of researchers’ agenda, approach and methodology might be, and many academics and researchers appear curiously aloof from community
projects such as LGBT History Month.
This conference aims to bring together postgraduate historians and early-career researchers working on any aspect of LGBT or Q history, in any country or era. We
want to highlight and discuss the range of topics and methodological approaches being pursued by this generation of researchers; to consider the intersections and
differences between historical work on L, G, B, T and Q topics, and to explore how LGBTQ history relates to wider narratives, and the modern historical profession.
This will be followed by an evening panel event chaired by Sue Sanders, co-chair of LGBT history month. She will be joined by Professor Julian Jackson, whose latest
book concerns homosexual politics in France in the post-war period, and Lindsay River, an activist in the 1970s with – among others – Gay Liberation Front, and more recently the founder of Age of Diversity, which aims to provide a national voice for older LGBT people in the UK (other speakers tbc). This evening event will give us the chance to explore some of the definitional, historical, political and activist implications of “LGBT history” and to explore how researchers might better engage with LGBT history month and community history.
Wednesday 7th November 2012, 11.00 to 17.00 and 18.00 to 20.00
Queen Mary, University of London. Tube: Mile End/Stepney Green
Room: GO Jones Building, 6.02.
Book here