Coordenators:
Cristina Pereira Vieira [LE@D – Universidade Aberta; CIEG-ISCSP-UL]
Sandra Palma Saleiro [CIES-Iscte, Iscte - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa]
António Pedro Fidalgo [Centro de Estudos Sociais – CES]
In Portuguese society, sexuality and gender remain a source of conflict around some of the most profound and politically divisive issues of our time, particularly those relating to bodily, gender, intimate and relational self-determination. These issues now occupy a central place in public and legislative debate. In this context, Sociology is called upon to intervene in an informed and critical manner, contributing to the discussions that shape the future of sexuality and gender as socially constructed (and regulated) dimensions of human experience.
For the first time since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1982 (Decree-Law No. 400/82 of 23 September), Portuguese society has witnessed setbacks in the policies through which the State regulates sexuality and gender, as well as their expression in the public sphere. These developments are in line with global trends of shrinking of rights concerning intimate and sexual citizenship in various countries around the world, with processes of criminalisation of social movements and the spread of ‘anti-gender’ and ‘anti-scientific’ discourses, often associated with populist and/or authoritarian political projects, which, as stated in the call for papers for this Congress, “call into question the functioning of democracies”.
In this context, it is crucial to continue fostering research and dialogue in the thematic field of sexuality and gender, drawing on the collective experience of researchers in Sociology and other disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary contributions and, more than ever, those from non-academic contexts – the public and private sectors, the social and solidarity economy, social movements and civil society. In this regard, we warmly welcome and encourage all proposals from professionals, artists, activists, volunteers and other stakeholders working in the field of sexuality and gender. We also encourage the participation of students and young researchers.
The APS Thematic Section on Sexuality and Gender invites the submission of proposals for oral presentations (which may include photography, artistic works, short films, fanzines, archival materials, etc.), resulting from research projects, interventions, reports or other relevant activities in this area. Proposals addressing, amongst others, the following thematic areas:
(1) Gender, feminist and women’s studies;
(2) LGBTQIA+/queer studies;
(3) Professional practices in the field of sexuality and gender;
(4) Interdisciplinary studies in the field of sexuality and gender;
(5) Public and social policies and best practices in promoting gender equality andcombating LGBTQIA+ discrimination;
(6) Studies on ‘anti-gender’ policies and practices in contemporary societies;
(7) Gender inequalities and violence in public and private spaces and across different territories;
(8) Sexuality and gender in the age of artificial intelligence;
(9) Sexuality and gender in activism, artistic practices and social movements;
(10) Intersectional approaches to sexuality and gender, in relation to other axes of oppression (racialisation, ethnicity, social class, disability, health, religion, migration, rurality and others);
(11) Theories, methodologies and innovation: Presentation of theoretical proposals, methodological processes and approaches in research and sociological practice on sexuality and gender.
We invite the submission of abstract proposals based on academic and non-academic research, including empirical work, theoretical and methodological contributions, as well as reports of professional experiences.
Proposals, in addition to theoretical essays, must be formulated presenting their theoretical framework, objectives, methodologies used, results and conclusions.
Professional contributions can take the form of experience reports, including context, objectives, actors involved, methodologies, activities developed, and key learnings.
Proposals must be submitted via the personal area by the deadline specified in the submission guidelines.
Proposals may be submitted in Portuguese, English, Spanish or French.
The maximum length of the abstract is 2,500 characters (excluding spaces).
Evaluation will consider the clarity of objectives, methodological adequacy, relevance of results, and the overall quality of the proposal.
The Congress will take place in person at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Algarve, in Faro, from 23 to 25 March 2027, and may include online sessions on 22 March. At the time of submission, authors must indicate whether they intend to participate in person or online.
All the authors will be invited to submit the full papers for publication in the Congress Proceedings.
powered by eventQualia