2nd Global Conference

Wednesday 30th November - Saturday 3rd December 2005
Vienna, Austria

Conference Programme, Abstracts and Papers

This research and publications conference seeks to examine issues of sex and sexuality across a range of critical and cultural perspectives, and seeks to explore the associated contexts of love, desire, intimacy, the erotic, betrayal and cheating. Seeking to encourage innovative inter- and multidisciplinary dialogues, we warmly welcome papers from a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to anthropology, cultural studies, education, gender studies, history, law, literature, medicine, psychology, religion, sociology and social work. We also welcome contributions from queer activists and professionals in non-profit and non-government organizations.

In particular papers, workshops, reports, and presentations are invited on any of the following themes:

1. Sex, Sexuality, and Citizenship

• The political main streaming of lesbian and gay issues, lobbying, queer activism, transgender movements and transsexual movements
• Sexuality and religion: institutional inclusion/exclusion of sexual minorities, celibacy, sexuality and spirituality, religion and gender roles
• Sexuality and health issues - HIV/AIDS, medicines, access to medicines; health care; health education; sexual initiations/rites of passage
• Collective Identities: race, class, gender, and the production of sexuality
• Sexuality and Work: sex work, sexuality and the workplace; sexuality and power: role playing, legal issues/cases, legislation/policy making

2. Love, Desire, and Intimacy

• Psychoanalysis, cultural studies, interdisciplinary approaches
• What is love, what does it mean to desire, and in what contexts is intimacy possible? The nature of romance; the contexts of passion.
• Cultural context and media representations - art, cinema, cyber-portrayals, film, literature, radio, theatre
• Notions of friendship, acquaintance and trust.

3. Sexuality and the Erotic

• Understanding eroticism and the 'erotic': History of the erotic, the erotic and phases of human development
• National and cultural histories of the erotic:the politics of the erotic including issues of censorship and transgression
• The erotic imagination: the erotic in art, art history, literature, film and music
• Gender, bodies and the erotic: sexuality and the erotic; the erotic and the perverse; eroticism & fetishism, fantasy
• Love, sentiment, romanticism and the erotic: friendship, relationships and the erotic

4. Love, Sexuality, Betrayal, and Cheating

• Cybersex, private sex and public sex; sexual intimacies; the rise of technology and the internet; virtual relationships, virtual betrayals
• Cheating and betrayal, (in)fidelity, (dis)honesty and integrity; what it means to be in a relationship; what it means to be (un)faithful
• Marriage, the marriage 'contract', adultery, break-up, divorce; 'affairs', 'the cheating heart', 'betrayal of confidence' 

Papers will be considered on related themes. 300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 30th September 2005. Full draft papers should be submitted by Friday 18th November 2005.