Queer Joy as Pedagogy
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| Title: | Queer Joy as Pedagogy |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Casey Burkholder, J. J. Wright, Melissa Keehn |
| Source: | Teachers College Record. 2025 127(9-10):101-134. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 34 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | LGBTQ People, Transgender People, Social Bias, Psychological Patterns, Social Justice, Inclusion, Adolescents, Adults, Art Activities, Story Telling, Activism, Educational Environment, Resilience (Psychology), Foreign Countries, Resistance (Psychology), Emotional Response |
| Geographic Terms: | Canada |
| DOI: | 10.1177/01614681251401633 |
| ISSN: | 0161-4681 1467-9620 |
| Abstract: | Background: What does it mean to mobilize queer joy as pedagogy, and how does it manifest in educational projects? Although much scholarship has examined queer pedagogy through critique and resistance, less attention has been paid to joy as a radical and collective mode of learning. In educational contexts marked by systemic violence and exclusion, we think that queer joy might offer a way of reimagining what teaching and learning can feel like. This study situates queer joy as both affective and political--a force that can create sanctuary within and beyond formal education. Objective: The study aims to develop and theorize "queer joy as pedagogy" through arts-based and activist research. Specifically, it explores how collective creative practices can transform experiences of marginalization into moments of affirmation, connection, and resistance. By tracing how joy circulates in queer and trans-led educational projects, the research seeks to contribute to a more expansive understanding of critical and inclusive pedagogy. Research Design: Grounded in participatory visual research methodologies, this study draws on two multiyear projects--"Pride/Swell"+ and the "Queer Sexual Joy Project." Together, these projects engaged over 300 queer and trans participants aged 14 to 50+ years, primarily across Canada. Participants collaborated through art-making, storytelling, and visual activism to articulate experiences of queer joy in everyday and educational life. The resulting archives and artworks serve as both data and pedagogical interventions, illuminating how collective creation fosters belonging and critical reflection. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that queer joy functions not as a retreat from struggle but as an active practice of survival, solidarity, and transformation. By centering creative collaboration, the projects cultivated spaces that disrupted normative hierarchies of who can teach, learn, and feel joy. We argue that queer joy as pedagogy offers educators a framework for cultivating radical inclusivity and critical hope. Ultimately, this work positions joy as a transformative force capable of reshaping educational spaces into more just and liberatory environments. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1493578 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1493578 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Queer Joy as Pedagogy – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Casey+Burkholder%22">Casey Burkholder</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22J%2E+J%2E+Wright%22">J. J. Wright</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melissa+Keehn%22">Melissa Keehn</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Teachers+College+Record%22"><i>Teachers College Record</i></searchLink>. 2025 127(9-10):101-134. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 34 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22LGBTQ+People%22">LGBTQ People</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transgender+People%22">Transgender People</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Bias%22">Social Bias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Justice%22">Social Justice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inclusion%22">Inclusion</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adolescents%22">Adolescents</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Art+Activities%22">Art Activities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Story+Telling%22">Story Telling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Activism%22">Activism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Environment%22">Educational Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resilience+%28Psychology%29%22">Resilience (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Resistance+%28Psychology%29%22">Resistance (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotional+Response%22">Emotional Response</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1177/01614681251401633 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 0161-4681<br />1467-9620 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Background: What does it mean to mobilize queer joy as pedagogy, and how does it manifest in educational projects? Although much scholarship has examined queer pedagogy through critique and resistance, less attention has been paid to joy as a radical and collective mode of learning. In educational contexts marked by systemic violence and exclusion, we think that queer joy might offer a way of reimagining what teaching and learning can feel like. This study situates queer joy as both affective and political--a force that can create sanctuary within and beyond formal education. Objective: The study aims to develop and theorize "queer joy as pedagogy" through arts-based and activist research. Specifically, it explores how collective creative practices can transform experiences of marginalization into moments of affirmation, connection, and resistance. By tracing how joy circulates in queer and trans-led educational projects, the research seeks to contribute to a more expansive understanding of critical and inclusive pedagogy. Research Design: Grounded in participatory visual research methodologies, this study draws on two multiyear projects--"Pride/Swell"+ and the "Queer Sexual Joy Project." Together, these projects engaged over 300 queer and trans participants aged 14 to 50+ years, primarily across Canada. Participants collaborated through art-making, storytelling, and visual activism to articulate experiences of queer joy in everyday and educational life. The resulting archives and artworks serve as both data and pedagogical interventions, illuminating how collective creation fosters belonging and critical reflection. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that queer joy functions not as a retreat from struggle but as an active practice of survival, solidarity, and transformation. By centering creative collaboration, the projects cultivated spaces that disrupted normative hierarchies of who can teach, learn, and feel joy. We argue that queer joy as pedagogy offers educators a framework for cultivating radical inclusivity and critical hope. Ultimately, this work positions joy as a transformative force capable of reshaping educational spaces into more just and liberatory environments. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1493578 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1493578 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/01614681251401633 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 34 StartPage: 101 Subjects: – SubjectFull: LGBTQ People Type: general – SubjectFull: Transgender People Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Bias Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychological Patterns Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Justice Type: general – SubjectFull: Inclusion Type: general – SubjectFull: Adolescents Type: general – SubjectFull: Adults Type: general – SubjectFull: Art Activities Type: general – SubjectFull: Story Telling Type: general – SubjectFull: Activism Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Environment Type: general – SubjectFull: Resilience (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Resistance (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Emotional Response Type: general – SubjectFull: Canada Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Queer Joy as Pedagogy Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Casey Burkholder – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: J. J. Wright – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Melissa Keehn IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0161-4681 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1467-9620 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 127 – Type: issue Value: 9-10 Titles: – TitleFull: Teachers College Record Type: main |
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