This project aims to explore the development of a joint program in Sexual and Gender Diversity between EU Peace Alliance members, with the intention of strengthening the presence of this academic content across Europe and making it more widely available to European students. Building on the concept proposed in our project for the second call, in which we intend to develop a series of online recorded classes and plan to conduct a mapping of LGBTQIA+ content in four Alliance institutions, the objective of this initiative would be to create a certificate program in which students could enroll in short online courses toward the fulfillment of a joint certificate organized by partner institutions in sexual and gender diversity studies.
This project would be particularly timely and relevant for a number of reasons. Firstly, because our preliminary research from the current project suggests a lack of LGBTQIA+ content in most classes, as well as reluctance on the part of many professors to integrate this content. Secondly, because early findings from this first project indicate increasing pressure by far-right political forces to cut back on programs that address sexual and gender diversity studies. Therefore, the objective of the project would be to support the continued development of academic studies in this area across Europe and to contribute to the creation of safe and supportive spaces for faculty and students to engage with this subject.
This effort could be made possible through seed funding from the EUPeace Fund, an initial incentive launched to cultivate and develop interest across EUPeace communities in our network. By providing a preliminary format for collaboration, the Fund would equip participating researchers, educators, students, and administrators with a practical tool for experimentation and active participation, employing a bottom-up approach that generates concrete information on the interests and needs of our communities and informs future collaborative initiatives.
© Adam Dubin
