CARAS Projects can be on-going or ad hoc activities designed to address research, clinical, or community needs. In some cases CARAS Projects are implemented to develop specific products that are within the scope of the CARAS mission. Prior examples include the creation of a training video for therapists and counselors, presenting case enactments of different issues that frequently arise in clinical work with kink-involved clients. Another example is the development and conduct of a community educational needs assessment. CARAS Projects have a formal charter and appointed leadership.
A CARAS Project can be proposed by CARAS subscribers, community organizations, and others. CARAS will provide support for the project, in terms of resources and guidance. Please contact CARAS at info@carasresearch.org to discuss the possibility of initiating a CARAS Project.
CARAS currently has the following Projects in place or under development:
CARAS Reading Group. The CARAS Reading Group focused on the History and Theory of Kink and BDSM, began as a CARAS Project and is now an integrated part of the CARAS Education Program. The group meets monthly to discuss readings ranging from classical texts in sexological theory and literature addressing kink/BDSM, to modern topics relevant to kink/leather sexualities and communities. A cross between a literary salon and a graduate seminar, the CARAS Reading Group engages these texts and ideas from a unique angle in the study of sexualities.
Educational Supplement for the Divine Deviance documentary film on Kink History. Divine Deviance (DD) is a multi-part documentary film project and web series about Kink, BDSM, and Fetish (hereafter "kink") around the world. The objective of the film project is to provide information about the history, social organization, and cultural contexts of kink, focusing on the period from the late 19th century to today. Respected academic experts and community leaders directly contribute to the DD project, through interviews, group discussions, and collaboration on texts and media. For more information on the Divine Deviance film project, see https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6349008/
The DD Educational Supplement is a CARAS Project that will create a set of educational resources to facilitate use of the DD documentary film on Kink History in academic and professional settings, including but not limited to: university courses addressing sexuality in the arts and humanities, and social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences; and also professional training in fields such as medicine, clinical psychology, and law. Dr. Rob Bienvenu serves as the CARAS DD Educational Supplement Project Lead.
Resources for Research Protocol Design and IRB Proposals. This project will develop templated research protocol and informed consent document texts addressing common issues that emerge in research design and Institutional Review Board (IRB) review of sexualities research. CARAS is particularly interested in involving students in this project, which will involve reviews of the scholarly literature and work with established scholars and subject matter experts. For more information, please email info@carasresearch.org.