Call for Abstracts: Trans/Religion in South Asia

28-30 May 2025
Online Workshop

This workshop seeks to enhance understanding of the intersections of trans identities and religion in diverse South Asian contexts. We invite contributions that analyze how gender nonconformity is expressed within religious traditions and kinship, considering their implications for gender, sexuality, class/caste, and nationalism.

Key questions include:

How have South Asian religions historically justified gender nonconformance?
What role do sacred texts play in societal views on gender fluidity?
What significance do gender-nonconforming roles hold during religious festivals?
How do caste/class influence gender shifts in religious practices?
How are contemporary gender issues reshaping religious perspectives?
We welcome paper presentations and creative responses (films, visual art, theater, etc.) from various fields such as religion, history, anthropology, and law. This workshop will lead to further events, including a panel proposal for the UCR Conference on Queer and Trans Studies in Religion (Feb 2026) and potential publications.

Submission Details:

Abstract Deadline: 30 January 2025
Length: 250 words, 5 keywords, and a brief bio
Email Submissions to:
daniela.bevilacqua@iscte-iul.pt
amen.jaffer@lums.edu.pk
clpamment@wm.edu

Notifications of acceptance will be sent by 28 February 2025.
Drafts (3,000 words) are due by late April.
Workshop timings will accommodate different time zones.