Kristiania Pride-seminar: Threats, censorship, and self-censorship in LGBTIQ+ research

During Oslo Pride 2023, Kristiania puts the spotlight on research and working conditions for research on gender and sexuality diversity.

Date: 28th of June 2023

When: 12.00 – 14.00
Doors open: 11.30 

Where: In downtown Oslo (infomation about the venue and adress will be updated closer to the eventdate) 

Costs: Free 

Sign up here! 


In December 2022, one of the last independent universities in Turkey, changed the name of their center on gender and sexuality research to the Center for Women and Family Studies. But attacks and censorship on gender and sexuality research do not only occur in authoritarian regimes.

Professor of Gender Studies at the Central European University in Vienna, Andrea Pető, received the University of Oslo's 2022 Human Rights Prize for her tireless promotion of academic freedom, including gender studies. When announcing the award, Professor Pető stated: "Working within higher education has become high-risk" and mentioned gender research as particularly vulnerable because "it is a critical field seeking change".

In March last year, the Kierulf committee also published a report on academic freedom in Norway. Academics must "tolerate some discomfort and still communicate", urges the committee that has looked at academic freedom of expression. The work, which is led by lawyer Anine Kierulf, was presented in the form of an NOU Norwegian Public Investigation.  

 - The main enemy is self-censorship. We censor ourselves in various ways. What can we do about it? asked Kierulf during the presentation. 

During Kristiania's Pride Seminar 2023, we will hear testimonies from researchers in Norway and Turkey. We also get an insight into a tentative pilot study carried out by Kristiania's doctoral student, Jon Martin Larsen, about the working situation for researchers who represent gender and sexuality diversity and who research this field. The pilot study can contribute to insight into threats, censorship and self-censorship in research on gender and sexuality diversity at colleges, universities and other research institutions in Norway.

We will also discuss Norwegian universities' and colleges' action plans for diversity.

Program: 

  • 11.30: Doors  
  • 12.00: Welcome by Laura Traavik, head of Kristiania's research group for inclusion (Workplace Inclusion & Diversity)
  • 12.05: Entry by Jon Martin Larsen, PhD student at Kristiania University College 
  • 12.20: Comments by Elisabeth Lund Engebretsen, professor at the University of Stavanger and Head of Queer Research Group in Norway.
  • 12.40: Comment by Eser Selen, Independent researcher of gender and performance studies
  • 12.50: Comment by professor emeritus Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad (on video)

  • 13.00: Break 

  • 13.20: Debate on the future challenges (chair Jon Martin Larsen):

    Participants:

    Trine Johansen Meza, rector at Kristiania

    Christen Krogh, rector at Oslomet

    Rolf Martin Aspenes from the Norwegian Student Organization and member of the Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research (Kif Committee)

    Elisabeth Lund Engebretsen, professor at the University of Stavanger and Head of Queer Research Group in Norway.

  • 13.50: Final comments 

The event is held in English, and ends at 14.30 at the latest.
Oslo Pride Park on Kontraskjæret opens at 15.00.