Information for all prospective participants: The Summer Institute on Sexuality, Culture and Society is designed for participants with longstanding research or professional experience in the field of sexuality studies to connect with peers. In general, applicants should have considerable experience studying or working in the field of sexuality studies (and can demonstrate this in their supporting documents). All participants must have a Bachelors degree (minimum). The Summer Institiute is divided into two distinct blocks. Prospective attendees are welcome to apply for one of them, or both: please read the participant profiles for each module below to determine if you are eligible to apply. 

Block 1 - Practicing Sexuality Studies in a Changing World: This programme is ideal for working professionals, community advocates/activists, current Master’s students, and early-stage PhD candidates seeking to enhance their academic understanding of sexuality studies as it is applied in a variety of settings. 

Block 2 - Critical Reflections on Advanced Topics in Sexuality Studies: This programme is ideal for advanced-Master’s, and PhD/Postdoctoral candidates, both those pursuing their degree full-time as well as working professionals who have a longstanding academic foundation in sexuality studies.

If you are unsure about your eligibility for this programme or have admissions related questions, please contact the Summer Programmes Office by emailing summer-info-gsss@uva.nl. 

In this two-week block, the focus is placed on building on the foundations of sexuality studies and contextualizing that knowledge within the participants’ own work.  Modules will explore the historical development of sexuality studies and provide participants with an opportunity to sharpen their theoretical skills in topics such as comprehensive sexuality education, sexual health in the global south, and human rights. This year's (tentative) Block 1 modules include: 

• Module 1: Sexuality, Culture, and Society - An Overview of the Field: Marie-Louise Janssen
• Module 2: Sexual Politics in the Netherlands: Robert J Davidson
• Module 3: Comprehensive Sexuality Education: Doortje Braecken
• Module 4: TBD: Paul Mepschen

In this two-week block, participants will approach advanced topics in sexuality studies from a critical academic perspective. In this course, we will bring a variety of evolving and current developments in sexuality studies into focus, both globally and in the Netherlands, including sexuality and religion, and construction of contemporary intimacies, as well as a professional development workshop for all participants. This year's (tentative) Block 2 modules include: 

• Module 5: Integrating Different Models of Consent into Professional Practice
• Module 6: Sexuality and Religion: Marco Derks
• Module 7: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Human Rights: Graeme Reid 
• Module 8: TBD

Each year, the Summer Institute offers a rewarding and challenging learning experience, and is comprised of a multidisciplinary international faculty and student body representing a range of social and cultural backgrounds. Participants are expected to engage with faculty and guest lecturers via a specialized sequence of course modules (two modules per week), weekly get-togethers, and informal conversations during with participants and pofessors alike. Participants benefit from an exceptional networking opportunity through the sharing of experiences, works in progress, research plans and diverse perspectives.

As the host of the Summer Institute, the University of Amsterdam is an ideal institution. The open atmosphere and small scale of the classroom offers a unique setting for engagement and discussion of sexuality, culture and society. The UvA is deeply embedded within Amsterdam's history and development of sexuality studies. If you would like to broaden your knowledge with other graduate and PhD students and professionals on this list of topics, we invite you to apply through the link on the how to apply page!

Dr. Robert (Robby) J. Davidson is the Summer Institute's Academic Director. He is a recent graduate of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research at the University of Amsterdam. Davidson is the programme manager of the Amsterdam Research Centre for Gender and Sexuality (ARC-GS) and was an editor of the Tijdschrift voor genderstudies (Dutch Journal for Gender Studies). Davidson’s research interests include LGBT studies, the institutionalization of social movements, processes of intersexualization, masculinity, queer theory, and the Netherlands. Davidson has published in the Journal of Homosexuality, Mobilization, and Social Movement Studies.

Want to get to know more about studying in Amsterdam? Follow us on social media and join our summer community. Get a feel for our summer school vibe and our academic and social community, and learn about studying with us through the eyes of past summer school students. 

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Interested in hearing an alumni perspective? Read this interview with Stefan Lucke who attended the Summer Institute in 2011, and used his knowledge gained in Amsterdam to springboard into a PhD position, and undertaking important research. You can also read this alumni portrait with Farah Barakat, who joined the programme as an MSP Scholarship winner in 2018.