The WSU Humanities Center invites faculty, students, staff, and the community to a Brown Bag talk given by Sarah Swider (Associate Professor, Sociology) on the topic of "Love's Story: Legislating love among unmarried bi-national relationships during a global pandemic".

 Abstract: This is a study of love during the pandemic. It is a case study of those in unmarried/unregistered cross-national relationships. Lockdowns and mobility restrictions threatened these relationships because the people in these relationships could not traverse borders to be together. Unlike marriages and registered partnerships, which are state sanctioned or recognized, couples couldn’t unite because it was not considered “essential travel.” Facing this threat, couples who were separated by travel bans formed a social movement. Their digital organizing and social actions successfully convinced some countries that their travel should be considered essential. As a result, no less than 12 of 27 countries within the European Union (EU) adopted what became known as “Sweetheart Visas.” These visas allowed people, even those from outside the EU, to travel into the country to be with the one they love.

Please RSVP for this event in order to receive the Zoom link.