According to their website:
“IASSCS was formed in July 1997 in Amsterdam, following a successful conference, “Beyond Boundaries: Sexuality Across Cultures”, jointly hosted by the Universities of Amsterdam and Chicago. This gathering was broadly concerned with the social and cultural study of sexuality, and drew together scholars from the disciplines of anthropology, history, sociology, health policy and cultural and gender studies. It was noted in the Amsterdam meeting that no organization existed which provided a forum for the interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies of sexuality. The impetus behind the creation of IASSCS was the perceived need to address the fragmentation of studies in sexuality and to provide a forum for expanding and developing sexuality as a legitimate area of scholarships.
IASSCS Mission and Vision is “to strengthen the field of social and cultural sexuality research globally. IASSCS is committed to building equity in research capacity worldwide and to a broad range of research activities, including strengthening communication among researchers, policy makers, and activists”.
IASSCS is responsible of the organization of the biannual IASSCS Conference. Eight editions have been celebrated between 1997 and 2011:
2011. 8th IASSCS Conference. Naming and Framing: The Making of Sexual (In)Equality. Madrid WEB
2009. 7th IASSCS Conference. Contested Innocence – Sexual Agency in Public and Private Space. Hanoi
2007. 6th IASSCS Conference. Dis/organized pleasures. Lima WEB
2005. 5th IASSCS Conference. Sexual Rights and Moral Panics. San Francisco
2003. 4th IASSCS Conference. Sex and Secrecy. Johannesburg
2001. 3rd IASSCS Conference. Belief System and the Place of Desire. Melbourne
1999. 2ns IASSCS Conference. Sexual Diversity and Human Rights. Manchester
1997. 1st IASSCS Conference. Beyond Boundaries: Sexuality Across Cultures. Amsterdam.
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