Paweł Matusz

Paweł Matusz, MA, is a researcher at the University of Regensburg's Institute of Slavic Studies, specializing in Slavic Literature and Cultural Studies. As a PhD candidate in the 'Light On!' project, he focuses on queer theory within Eastern European migration contexts and works extensively with the archives of Andrzej Selerowicz, a pioneering Polish gay rights activist.

His research interests span Queer Theory, Migration Studies, and Eastern European LGBTQ+ Rights, with particular emphasis on cultural anthropology and gender sociology. Matusz combines academic work with activism, co-founding the Leipzig-based collective ACT OST in 2020 to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in Poland and globally, while also serving on the Leipzig Migrant Council.

His publications reveal evolving research trajectories from political economy ('The Price of Commercialization', 2020) to historical queer analysis ('Polish Stonewall?') and intersections of communism with queer theory ('Komunizm dla dzieci...'). These works demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches connecting gender studies with political theory and cultural history.

• Co-founder of ACT OST (2020)
• Member of Leipzig Migrant Council
• Translator of queer poetry (Łęko Zygmuntówne's work presented at Berlin Literature Festival 2024)

Matusz's work bridges academic research with cultural activism, particularly through his current archival research on early Polish gay rights movements and his organizational efforts supporting migrant LGBTQ+ communities in Eastern Europe.