Who we are

We are a transdisciplinary team working at the intersection of academia, activism, and the arts. Our members include Andrea
Rottmann and Kai* Brust (FU Berlin), Christine M. Klapeer and Tarek Shukrallah (JLU Gießen), Eike Wittrock (MUK Wien), Gin Müller (Verein zur Förderung der Bewegungsfreiheit Wien), and Hannes Hacke (QueerSearch. Dachverband deutsch-
sprachiger queerer Archive, Bibliotheken und Sammlungen/FU Berlin). Together, we bring expertise in queer history, demo-
cratic theory, social movements, performance studies, and archival work.

How we work

We combine feminist, queer, and activist research methods, informed by archival and artistic practice. Our tools include
protest event analysis, dissident citizenship theory, oral history interviews, digital linked open data archiving, and theatrical reenactments. We meet in biannual workshops for interdisciplinary exchange and use a shared code of conduct and ethical guidelines. Participants from academia and civil society co-shape our research as collaborators and co-researchers.

Our Goals

We aim to understand LGBTIQ* movements not only as struggles for rights, but as transformative forces in democratic societies. Our goal is to reframe queer activism as a driving factor in democratization and to resist current anti-democratic trends. We emphasize the value of LGBTIQ* archives as grassroots institutions and key educational resources that preserve activist memory and support inclusive civic learning.

Output

Our project creates accessible and connected LGBTIQ* archival collections enriched through collaborative research. We develop innovative public formats such as theater workshops, digital storytelling, podcasts, and an oral history platform. In open labs, we engage with educators, activists, and cultural workers. Academic findings are published in open-access formats, supporting both scholarly exchange and civic education.