Symposium theme: Queer Ecologies, Liberation, and Radical Futures
About the Symposium
This year’s InQueery Symposium will feature Mejdulene Bernard Shomali’s talk, “Where Do
We Go From Queer? Palestinian Ecologies for Liberation.” The talk explores what it means to
understand Palestinian liberation as a queer movement and considers the centrality of Palestine
to queer politics. Drawing on the rich history of Palestinian resistance, Shomali asks what these
histories can offer political and social movements seeking to exceed liberal and normative
frameworks. Her work considers radical forms of community, collaboration, and futurity, as well
as forms of affect and embodiment that challenge the boundaries of the human.
Call for Proposals
We invite undergraduate and graduate students from all fields and disciplines to submit proposals
for presentations at the InQueery Symposium. Proposals may respond directly to questions raised
by Shomali’s work or engage more broadly with queer, trans, feminist, decolonial, ecological,
cultural, or political questions. A proposal might grow out of a research project, a class paper, a
creative project, or a question you want to explore further. Presentations may take the form of
research papers, creative writing, visual art, performance, multimedia projects, or other academic
and creative formats
Possible areas of exploration
- War, militarism, occupation, and borders
- Queer ecologies
- Futurity and alternative worlds
- Art, literature, and cultural work
- Queer and Trans Film
- Gender, Sexuality, and Popular Culture
- Transnational Gender and Sexuality
- Feminist and Queer Convergences
- Queer of Color Critique
- Feminist, Queer, and Transgender Archival Politics
- Critiques of Pinkwashing and Homonationalism
Submission Guidelines
- Abstract: 250–300 words describing your proposed presentation or project and its
connection to the symposium - Brief bio: approximately 100 words, including your name, pronouns, program/major, and
year - Submission deadline: Sunday, September 27, 2026 (11:59 PM PDT)
- Submit to: wgss@wsu.edu
Accessibility and participation
Students at all levels of experience are encouraged to submit. The symposium will include time
for conversation among presenters, the keynote speaker, and attendees. The keynote will follow
student presentations after a brief 15 minute break.
Interested in participating but not presenting?
All undergraduate and graduate students are invited to volunteer for the roles of panel
moderators and/or to provide session introductions. Email wgss@wsu.edu if you are interested in
these roles.