Esther M. Franke

Visiting Scholar

Esther M. Franke is a PhD candidate in the Politics department at The New School for Social Research and adjunct professor at Montclair State University. In their dissertation, they develop trans as a perspective for global politics in conversation with three instances of mobility/trans/queer/feminist organizing in Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Berlin. They teach widely on feminisms, queer and trans studies and (global) politics. They hold an MA in Political Theory from the University of Frankfurt and have worked in several positions in politics and research. They organize as part of the transnational feminist collective and NGO “Discover Football” working on sports and gender justice.

Participating Years

2025–2026

Mobility: Transit and Transformation

Crises of mobility have become a key integer of social struggle in the world system. Whether one considers the explosion of different forms of movement or the production of immobility, in carcerality, wagelessness, enclosure, or via the securitization of borders, mobility and its discontents are central to radical activism across local and transnational communities.