Trans and Queer Research Consortium

Roshanak Kheshti
Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies
UC Berkeley

This project establishes a multi-campus working group under the umbrella of the UC Trans and Queer Research Consortium, which collectivizes the efforts of scholars in the fields of trans and queer studies. While the University of California historically served as an incubator for queer and trans theory, institutional divestment has eroded these fields, just as global anti-trans backlash and censorship render them historically urgent. This proposal argues that the apparent obsolescence of queer studies has actually led to its expansion and diversification; the current political climate demands a resurrected, intersectional, and transnational scholarship. This multi-campus working group unites faculty from Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside to reverse the decline of queer and trans studies. The Consortium will function as a clearinghouse and visible network, centering trans and queer studies from marginal and Global South perspectives to bridge the gap between academic theory and political necessity. Funding will support the creation of a digital platform, cross-campus programming, and a strategic Spring 2027 retreat. By consolidating resources and mentorship, this initiative reasserts the UC system’s leadership in the humanities, transforming a moment of existential threat into an era of intellectual resurgence.