Crisis and Connection: Trans Entanglements in Precarious Times

Sab Garduño
Anthropology
UC Irvine

Jake Knight
Cultural Studies
UC Davis

Guided by the concept of trans entanglements, our initiative embraces the interconnectedness of trans studies with urgent global challenges—spanning access to healthcare, the policing of gendered bodies, border politics, racialized security, the rise of the global far-right, climate change, and escalating inequalities—and diverse perspectives, to illuminate how trans lives are both shaped by and actively shaping the conditions of survival, mobility, and futurity. Responding to the urgent need for trans studies to address these challenges, this working group promotes trans scholarship across the University of California system by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, mentorship, and networks of care. Through a trans-studies educational website and cross-campus virtual speaker series, we will create a centralized resource hub and intellectual exchange platform. The website will feature a trans studies research guide, sample syllabi, recorded talks, and a directory of UC-affiliated scholars, while the speaker series will spotlight trans studies research across disciplines and campuses. This work builds cross-campus networks of collaboration while positioning trans studies as a vital contributor to the humanities during a time of escalating anti-trans violence. Our initiative cultivates intellectual resilience, ensuring trans studies scholars are supported in building more just and livable futures.