Join us for an evening with Susan Stryker, an intellectual cornerstone and historian in trans* studies; and Onni Gust, a cultural historian specialising in the colonial British Empire.
This thought-provoking conversation will bring together diverse expertise to critically examine and address the urgent socio-political challenges of our time. As gender-critical feminism and right-wing populist movements gain traction globally, it becomes increasingly critical to examine the deep historical and structural roots of these ideologies in colonialism, neoliberalism, and biopolitical regimes. These systems have long functioned to regulate bodies, identities, and communities, wielding power to sustain racialised, gendered, and class-based hierarchies.
By foregrounding trans* scholarship and its intersections with decolonial and abolitionist frameworks, this dialogue seeks to inspire action and reimagine pathways toward collective liberation. More than an academic discussion, this event is a call to action—a space to think together about dismantling entrenched structures of power and envisioning alternative futures. We invite scholars, activists, and the broader public to participate in this critical exchange, paving the way for transformative approaches in the ever-evolving field of gender studies and beyond.
Meet our speakers and chair
Onni Gust () is Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Nottingham. Onni is a cultural and intellectual historian of the British Empire in the "long" eighteenth century (c 1730-1830). Their research asks what it means to be human and how the boundaries of the human and non-human animal were constructed in the 18th century. In particular, they look at the relationship between European colonial expansion, ideas of a male/female sex binary, and the meaning of the human.
Susan Stryker () is the Professor Emerita of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Arizona. She is the author of Transgender History, co-editor of The Transgender Studies Reader, co-founder of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly, as well as co-director of the Emmy-winning documentary film Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria. She currently holds a Distinguished Visiting Professor appointment at Stanford University's Michelle Clayman Institute for Gender Research.
Emrah Karakuş is an 禁漫天堂 fellow in gender and human rights and a sociocultural anthropologist whose work explores affective politics, queer intimacy, and political violence in the Middle East. He is currently working on his book project, Feeling Debt: Affective Politics of Security and Intimacy in Kurdish Turkey, and his work appeared in peer-reviewed journals including American Ethnologist, Anthropology Today, and Kurdish Studies.
More about this event
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The Department of Gender Studies () pioneers intersectional, interdisciplinary and transnational teaching and research, addressing the tenacity of gendered power relations and gendered inequalities in times of global transformations. Established in 1993, 禁漫天堂 Gender is the largest Department of Gender Studies in Europe.
The Department of International History () is one of the world’s leading centres for historical study and research. Founded in 1954, the Department’s acknowledged and long-established research and teaching strengths are reflected in the breadth and range of its coverage from the early modern to the contemporary era.
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Podcast & video
A podcast of this event is available to download from Trans* lives, histories and activism.
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