CfP: Matrix 6:1 (Spring 2027) Gender, Sexualities, and Asian Matricultures2026.6.5 {en}
Volume 6, Issue 1 (Spring 2027)
Call for Papers
Deadline for Abstract Submission: Monday, 29 June 2026
Theme: Gender, Sexualities, and Asian Matricultures (Open Call)
Broadly understood, matriculture is a Geertzian cultural framework of symbols and meanings pertaining to women, mothers, and the feminine. This system of symbols (this matriculture) creates a shared ‚language,‘ so to speak, to describe, interpret, and reflect social reality – a model of reality – as well as prescribing and shaping social behaviour – a model for reality. This system/framework is constructed in a wide variety of different ways across diverse cultures, just as, according to Judith Butler, cultural frameworks pertaining to gender and sexualities are distinct across cultures.
In this context, then, the relationship of gender and sexuality with matriculture becomes of primary interest, particularly in cultural contexts where there is both an increasing recognition of gender fluidity, gender crossing, multiple gender identities, and non-binary sexualities and an attempt to repress the same.
Insofar as heterosexual gender norms produce inapproximable ideals, heterosexuality can be said to operate through the regulated production of hyperbolic versions of „man“ and „woman.“ These are for the most part compulsory performances, ones which none of us choose, but which each of us is forced to negotiate. I write „forced to negotiate“ because the compulsory character of these norms does not always make them efficacious. Such norms are continually haunted by their own inefficacy; hence, the anxiously repeated effort to install and augment their jurisdiction.
– Judith Butler, Bodies That Matter, p. 257
Our next issue of Matrix proposes to explore the relationship among these Geertzian cultural systems: matriculture, gender, and sexuality. We are interested in better understanding how gender and sexualities are positioned in Asian matricultures, among others. Is the cultural frame relating to gender and sexuality subordinate or dominant to the cultural frame pertaining to women, mothers, and the feminine? That is, is an Asian womanhood constructed by sexual behaviour and gender identity or are gender identity and sexuality constructed by the symbols and meanings pertaining to woman and mother? We would like to explore these and other questions.
We are open to a wide, far-ranging conversation in this issue. Authors are encouraged to explore the symbols and meaning relating to women, mothers, and the feminine in an Asian society and how these symbols and meanings shape sexual behaviours and gender identities – or vice versa. Recognising that Asian societies may have multiple sub-cultures, we also welcome discussions about the shape of gender identities and sexual behaviours accepted in open matricultures, where women have access to the full range of human expression, as well as or compared with explorations of that relationship in closed matricultures, where women’s social opportunities are largely confined to their reproductive and domestic responsibilities.
In these closed matricultures, for example, do women uphold biologically-based gender identities as fiercely as many patriarchal societies? Is there a correlation between an open matriculture and an acceptance of gender fluidity, cross-genders, multiple gender identities, and non-binary sexualities, or the reverse: is there a correlation between a closed matriculture and a denial of gender fluidity, cross-genders, multiple gender identities and a rejection of non-binary sexualities, where the role of women is reserved for biologically female humans?
Please note that we are not defining terms such as gender or sexuality; we do, however, define the term matriculture and ask authors to define gender and sexuality as they use the terms.
We strongly encourage creative artworks of any media and personal reflections on this theme. Potential research topics may include the following, but don’t be limited by our imaginations!
- What are the differences between sex roles and gender identities in an Asian community?
- How are gender, sexuality, and matriculture constructed in cultures where the language is genderless? Is there any correlation between gendered languages and open or closed matricultures?
- What is ‘femininity’ among Asian cultures which welcome 2SLGBTQIA+ people?
- How is sexuality used in Asian matricultures?
- How do we examine gender and sexuality from a matricultural heuristic?
Submission via email to: Please submit a 200-word abstract (max) and a 50-word biography to Linnéa Rowlatt, Managing Editor, at lrowlatt[at]networkonculture.ca, or to the Editorial Collective of Matrix: A Journal for Matricultural Studies at info[at]networkonculture.ca with the Subject line ‘Matrix 6:1 Abstract Submission.’
Deadline for Abstract Submission: Monday, 29 June 2026
Matrix policy on Artificial Intelligence
Matrix refuses all AI-generated content. We check all our submissions through at least two AI detectors and will not publish any material which has content generated by so-called Artificial Intelligence.
However, we recognize that authors may need editorial assistance in bringing their papers to an acceptable standard of English or French and, to that end, we accept the use of assistants like Grammerly or the editor function in Microsoft Word.
Finally, we have editors among the Editorial Collective who are willing, even eager, to work with you to improve your submission (we love the Oxford comma); please simply request our assistance.
About Matrix
Matrix: A Journal for Matricultural Studies is an open access, peer-reviewed and refereed journal published by the International Network for Training, Education, and Research on Culture (Network on Culture), Canada. Matrix is published online through Open Journal System on a biannual basis.
For more information, visit our website: https://www.networkonculture.ca/activities/matrix.
Source: CfP: Matrix 6:1 (Spring 2027) Gender, Sexualities, and Asian Matricultures, H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US.
