Opportunities
“Trans*versing Knowledge: Travesti/ Trans Speculative Thinking in the Southern Cone”
is a trans*, inter, and non-disciplinary two-day workshop centered around the intellectual and
artistic productions of travesti/trans thinkers from and focusing on the Southern Cone. Travesti is
a transfeminine political and social gender identity originating in the Southern Cone and rooted
in a deep history of marginality, radical solidarity, and political imagination. This workshop
engages travesti aesthetics and political thought through a focus on its speculative elements. In
this context, speculation re-narrativizes histories of marginalized communities and strives
towards a future that is not built on domination. The workshop will feature keynote addresses by
leading travesti scholars and artists from Argentina and Brazil.
The two-day workshop is grounded on dialogue. In addition to the keynote talks,
participants will be placed into small groups led by experts in the field. These groups provide an
opportunity to move away from the panel presentation format and instead foster a horizontal
space for collaboration and dialogue. Small groups meet at the beginning and end of the
conference, after which they will all join a collective dialogue to share experiences and discuss
various speculative forms that could blossom beyond this workshop. In doing so, speculation
frames the theme and intellectual practices of the workshop.
We invite artists, activists, scholars, and community members with interests in travesti
theory, trans studies, trans and queer of color critique, travesti/ trans aesthetics, LGBTQ+
activism and social movements, and transnational feminism. Capacity for the event is limited.
and interested participants must fill out a application form linked here by November 10.
Accepted participants will be notified by November 17. While we cannot provide travel funding,
Brown University will provide a light breakfast, lunch and merienda on March 18 and 19. Please
send your questions to mcazar@brown.edu. This is an in-person and virtual participation is not
available.