Research Output
Nation Queer? Discourses of Nationhood And Homosexuality In Times of Transformation: Case Studies From Poland
  This thesis explores the relationship between discourses of nationhood and homosexuality in the context of Polish 鈥減ost-communist transformations鈥 that have taken place over the last decade. It begins with the hypothesis that there must be a more complex relationship between the two discourses than a situation where nationhood simply and straightforwardly rejects the homosexuality. As such, the thesis explores possibilities for going beyond (or further into) the dialectics of the same/other, as a way to develop understandings about the relationship between the nation and homosexuality. The focus is on undercurrents and internal dynamics, constantly negotiating and re-working mutual dependencies between the two discourses. In this context, the thesis is especially geared to exploring the 鈥渦nforeseen鈥 (or possible), the 鈥渨ilful鈥, 鈥渦nintended鈥 (or hoped for) in the two discourses. The thesis is organised around three major research problems: (1) How is homosexuality framed by national discourse (when performed by the nationstate)? (2) How do discourses of homosexuality relate to nationhood (in times of national distress)? (3) How might national/ist rhetoric be present in discourses of LGBT organisations? Methodologically, the thesis is grounded in a case study approach and discourse analysis. Overall, I argue that we may map out the relations between the nationhood and homosexuality through discourses of rejection as well as dependency, oscillating on the continuum between 鈥渟ameness鈥 and 鈥渙therness鈥. These relations are best described via the concepts of 鈥渄is-location鈥, 鈥渂e-longing鈥, 鈥渁ttachment鈥, and 鈥渄is-identification鈥. This research is important for at least three reasons. There is a scarcity of work about sexualities in Central and Eastern Europe and a need for more work in this area. Additionally, we have recently witnessed a rise of concern with 鈥渉omonationalism鈥 in queer studies. Attention to Poland is a valuable addition to this scholarship, which so far is about only the 鈥淲est鈥 and 鈥淚slam鈥. Finally, it also contributes to nationalism studies, where sexuality is still an under-explored topic, and it offers new insights for scholars interested in Polish nationalism studies.

  • Type:

    Thesis

  • Date:

    21 January 2013

  • Publication Status:

    Unpublished

  • Publisher

    Birkbeck College, University of London

  • Funders:

    Historic Funder (pre-Worktribe)

Citation

麻豆社区

Kulpa, R. (2012). Nation Queer? Discourses of Nationhood And Homosexuality In Times of Transformation: Case Studies From Poland. (Thesis). Birkbeck College, University of London. Retrieved from http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2713774

Authors

Keywords

Poland, Central Europe, homophobia, LGBT, queer studies, nationalism, discourse,

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