Considering the urgency posed by the violent homophobic conduct of Sub-Saharan African states towards males who appear as challenging the socially dominant standards of masculinity and sexuality,...Show moreConsidering the urgency posed by the violent homophobic conduct of Sub-Saharan African states towards males who appear as challenging the socially dominant standards of masculinity and sexuality, this thesis aims to problematize queer violence in the African post-colony. Queer violence is hereby defined as the violence inflicted upon the bodies and lives of citizens of the post-colonial state on the sole ground of their perceived or actual sexuality. Looking into the underexplored case of Nigeria, this thesis asks the following question ‘How has the Nigerian state exercised queer violence?’ Based on a review of the literature, the building blocks of the homophobic discourse (laws, morality, tradition and religion), which legitimize queer violence in the African context, and particularly in Nigeria, are discussed. In order to criticise the persisting violent conduct and unveil how queer violence functions, queer theory is utilised together with Foucault’s notion of biopolitics and Mbembe’s necropolitics. Additionally, a genealogical approach helps analyse the state conduct through its discursive, but also non-discursive/material practices. Through the analysis of the occasion of the arrests and arraignment of 57 men in Lagos, Nigeria from August 2018 through March 2020, for offenses related to same-sex relations and homosexuality, it is observed that the Nigerian state has exercised queer violence by disguising its necropolitical conduct in biopolitical terms. It has been further observed that queer violence is performed indiscriminately, endangering especially the male population.Show less
This thesis deals with the issue of cultural appropriation by the Greek far-right party Golden Dawn. Under which conditions does Golden Dawn (GD) manage to implement cultural personas and objects...Show moreThis thesis deals with the issue of cultural appropriation by the Greek far-right party Golden Dawn. Under which conditions does Golden Dawn (GD) manage to implement cultural personas and objects in its narrative, what enables it to do so, and what is the result of this practice? Can a cultural object mobilised for political purposes speak back and what does that entail for the object’s political force? Furthermore, how can culture and one’s way of looking at it function as a catalyst for the formation of bonds amongst men? Focusing on C.P. Cavafy’s mobilisation by GD, and using concepts and insights by Bal, van Alphen, Derrida, and Puar as its theoretical background, this thesis will probe into these questions. Approaching GD’s website as a museum where cultural objects are placed and viewers are invited to gaze upon them, as well as by examining performances of homophobia by GD, I argue that there is a strong aspect of theatricality in these practices. This theatricality shapes an audience, which, whether accepting or condemning what it sees, essentially serves to further foster male bonds within Golden Dawn.Show less
In 2012-13, the French government’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage inspired mass protests in several cities for more than a year. This was surprising, as several other West-European states...Show moreIn 2012-13, the French government’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage inspired mass protests in several cities for more than a year. This was surprising, as several other West-European states had previously introduced similar bills without much controversy. These countries all had shown a clear pattern of rapidly declining prejudice against sexual minorities during the last decades. Some scholars have suggested, however, that in France this newly found acceptance of LGB individuals has not generalized to same-sex parenting, as the model of the heterosexual family remains one of the essential components of the dominant French national ideology and its quest for “abstract universalism”. In this thesis, I compared attitudes towards homosexuality and gay parenting in France and Europe. Analyzing datasets from the European Social Survey, I found evidence that French attitudes towards homosexuality are largely identical to those of other Western Europeans. However, French views on gay parenting turned out to be much more polarized than in other countries where gay marriage had been legalized. This may partly explain why such large protests against gay marriage had arisen in France in 2012-13, but not elsewhere in Europe where similar policies have been enacted.Show less
This thesis discusses the marginalization of LGBT+ citizens in Nigeria through state legislation. Within the recent decade there has been an increase in legislation targeting LGBT+ citizens in...Show moreThis thesis discusses the marginalization of LGBT+ citizens in Nigeria through state legislation. Within the recent decade there has been an increase in legislation targeting LGBT+ citizens in Nigeria. Forms of legislation leading to marginalization of LGBT+ citizens is referred to in this thesis as political homophobia. This research focuses on the role of Pentecostal movements in relation to these political developments. It discusses the influence of dominant Pentecostal ideologies on the formation of anti-homosexuality legislation, by giving an insight into the complex relationship between religion and politics in NigeriaShow less
While such a large part of the world is moving towards more acceptance of homosexuality, this seems to not be the case in Uganda or in many other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Which poses the...Show moreWhile such a large part of the world is moving towards more acceptance of homosexuality, this seems to not be the case in Uganda or in many other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Which poses the question “If attitudes towards homosexuality are shifting towards more positivity in the West, why is the opposite happening in Uganda?”.Show less
