Antigender Politics

22/06/2026

From 17 to 19 June 2026, COST Action CA23149 Working Group 3, “Rethinking Activism and Forms of Opposition with a Focus on Unexpected Allies,” organised a panel at the final conference of the RESIST project in Warsaw.

The panel explored everyday LGBTQ+ struggles and resistance under political heterosexism, bringing together the voices of LGBTQ+ individuals, activists, and researchers working on LGBTQ+ issues and anti-gender mobilisation.

With contributions from Dr Michal Pitoňák, Dr Shaba Darakchi, and Dr Veronika Valkovičová, the discussion addressed anti-gender and anti-LGBTQ+ campaigns, conditional tolerance, structural cis- and heteronormativity, and the importance of recognising everyday forms of resistance.

Thank you to the speakers, organisers, and participants for this important exchange. 🌿

04/06/2026

On the 28th and 29th of May the workshop "Mapping Actors and Transnational Networks in Anti-Gender Mobilizations" took place at the University of Helsinki 👏 . For one and a half days, 15 participants presented and discussed their work in interactive sessions geared towards the preparation of a special issue. The program also included a roundtable with scholars researching anti-gender politics in Finnish institutions.
We want to thank the organizers Susana Galán, Sarka Kolmasova, Marianna Muravyeva, Didem Unal Abaday and Yuliya Brin for their efforts and time.

26/05/2026

📢 Call for Papers: Historicizing the Migration / Anti-Gender Nexus

We invite scholars to submit proposals for a workshop taking place in Amiens, France, on 24–25 September 2026.

The workshop will examine the historical entanglements between migration and anti-gender politics, with attention to questions of mobility, gender backlash, women’s autonomy, sexuality, reproduction, family structures, labour, nationalism, colonial and imperial contexts, and broader social transformation.

We welcome interdisciplinary, comparative, transnational, intersectional, and longue durée perspectives, particularly from historians and scholars working across migration studies, gender studies, political history, historical sociology, cultural studies, geography, and related fields.

📌 Submission deadline: 15 June 2026
📌 Notification of results: End of June 2026
📌 Submission format: 300–500 word abstract and short biographical note
📌 Send submissions to:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Selected papers are expected to contribute to both a proposed special issue and a public history thematic dossier. Junior researchers and colleagues from Inclusiveness Targeted Countries are especially encouraged to apply.

14/05/2026

CA23149 invites senior researchers to contribute to capacity building by mentoring Young Researchers and Innovators working on anti-gender politics, democracy, equality, and related fields.

Mentors may support YRIs with career planning, publication development, book or special issue proposals, manuscripts, and project applications connected to CA23149’s aims.

Mentoring is confidential, supportive, and based on mutual agreement. Sessions are usually held online in 1 to 3 private meetings, with more possible if needed.

Researchers interested in becoming mentors are invited to send their name, position, email, discipline, research interests, and any previous mentoring experience to:
[email protected]

13/05/2026

Are you a Young Researcher or Innovator working on anti-gender politics, democracy, gender equality, anti-feminist mobilisations, civil society, or related fields?

The CA23149 Mentoring Programme connects YRIs with senior researchers for confidential support on career planning, publication ideas, book or special issue proposals, manuscripts, and project applications connected to the aims of the Action.

Mentoring usually takes place through 1 to 3 virtual private sessions, with more possible if needed, and is based on mutual agreement and confidentiality.

Interested in becoming a mentee?
Send your name, position, email, discipline, and a short description of your publication or project idea to:

[email protected]

29/04/2026

🎓 Call for Applications – Summer Training School

How can we better understand academic freedom in today’s changing political landscape?

Join us in Ankara for an interdisciplinary training school exploring higher education, university autonomy, and innovative research approaches. This programme brings together doctoral students, early-career researchers, and academics for a unique space of learning, exchange, and collaboration.

📍 Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Türkiye
📅 29 June – 1 July 2026

💡 Participation is free
(Funding available for eligible COST participants)

⏳ Application deadline: 3 May 2026

📩 Apply by sending your CV to: [email protected] or [email protected]

Organised within COST Action OPEN

📢 Don’t miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and contribute to key debates on academic freedom in Europe.

28/04/2026

🌍 The Future Frontiers of Trans Activism

Across Central and Eastern Europe and the Global South, trans activism is navigating shifting terrains—marked by both progress and renewed challenges.

Join us for an important conversation bringing together activists, advocacy workers, and scholars to share perspectives, reflect on policies shaping trans lives, and explore the dynamics of resistance and rights today.

🗓 Wednesday, 6 May 2026
⏰ 14:30–16:30 CET
💻 Online via MS Teams

Organised by COST Action CA23149 – Democratization at Stake (Anti-Gender Politics), Working Group 3, in cooperation with Maryna Shevtsova.

Let’s create space for dialogue, exchange, and collective reflection.

🔗 Register here:
5626aba4-f9ed-46a2-b98a-a595c4282ff0@ce31478d-6e7a-4ce7-8670-a5b9d51884f9" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/5626aba4-f9ed-46a2-b98a-a595c4282ff0@ce31478d-6e7a-4ce7-8670-a5b9d51884f9

24/04/2026

🎙️ Podcast Launch | Episode 1 is live!

“The Word That Became a Threat”

Once a language of equality, “gender” is now being stretched, reshaped, and weaponized across politics, religion, and popular culture.

In this opening episode, leading scholars explore how anti-gender rhetoric travels across Europe, from classrooms to parliaments, from stadiums to pulpits, connecting unlikely alliances and reshaping public life.

🎧 Watch Episode 1: https://youtu.be/yuNCKvlHgIQ

👤 Host: Elena Trifan
🎓 Guests: Andrea Pető, Kath Browne, Magda Grabowska, Marianna Muravyeva, Rohan, Annette Henninger, Ionela Băluță, Adriana Zaharijević, Tanja Vučković-Juroš, Roman Kuhar

This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes in this podcast series developed within COST Action CA23149.

💬 Join the conversation and share your reflections.

The Word That Became a Threat

31/03/2026

Call for Applicants: “Democratization at Stake: Gender Equality Norms, Backlash, and Policy Futures”, Brussels, Belgium, June 9-10, 2026 📣

This 1.5-day international event aims to bring together academics, policymakers, civil society actors, and young scholars to address the growing impact of anti-gender politics on democratic systems. The event combines a high-level stakeholder forum (Day 1, June 9, 2026, 09:00-17:00) with an interactive policy lab (Day 2, June 10, 2026, 09:00-14:00), aiming to translate research into policy-relevant insights and foster cross-sector collaboration.

More info in the link below 👇

We invite applications to participate in a 1.5-day international event bringing together academics, policymakers, civil society actors, and young scholars to address the growing impact of anti-gender politics on democratic systems. The event combines a high-level stakeholder forum (Day 1, June 9, 20...