Rainbow Politics

Topics in LGBT Activism

Course Number

7334E0080Y

Credits (EC)

Period

Discipline

27 October-3 December 2016

Semester 1, Block 2
Tuesdays, 15-17, REC B3.06
Thursdays, 15-17, REC C3.01
Political Sociology

Instructor

Bojan Bili & Guests

Place & Time

Contents

In this course we will engage with some of the most salient issues in
the field of LGBT activism and look for analytical tools that can help us
to understand the sphere of LGBT-related struggles for emancipation,
justice and equality. We will examine the major challenges posed by
indentitarian sexual politics and try to see why it is that painful
disagreements arise among people that we would expect to be united
around similar political goals. As we read about and discuss various
facets of activist undertakings, we will foster academic-activist
interactions and explore what these two modes of engaging with the
social world could learn from each other.

Course Objectives

Students should come away with an understanding of main debates,

key concepts and theories of LGBT activism. This is a broad and
complex field where sex, gender, law, nation, race, identity intertwine,
so after the course, you should know where to start in case you want
to pursue these topics further.

Teaching Methods

This course consists of two weekly sessions, the first one on Tuesdays
and the second one on Thursdays. Each course week will be devoted to
a set of concepts that revolve around one salient issue in LGBT activist
politics. During the first weekly session we will summarise and discuss
the core readings. In the second session we will put our concepts in
motion through a series of guest lectures which will bring together
scholars and activists. Whereas the majority of readings refer to the
Western/Anglo-Saxon context, some of the guest lectures offer an
Eastern European perspective. Students will have an opportunity to act
as discussants during open lectures as well as give the class an idea
about the most relevant LGBT-related issues in their countries/regions
of origin. There is also a panel in which last year MA students present
their thesis work on LGBT-related topics.

WEEK 1

INTRODUCTION: IN PURSUIT OF EQUALITY

TUESDAY, 27 OCT 2016

CORE READINGS

READINGS FOR THURSDAY SESSION

(PLEASE CHOOSE AT LEAST ONE)

In this session we will take Cohen, E. (1991). Who are we? Gay Davidson, R. J. (2015). Cultural Corporatism
a look at the structure of
identity as political (e)motion. (A
and the COC. Gay and Lesbian Social
theoretical rumination). In D. Fuss
the course and discuss
Movement
Advocacy
in
The
(Ed.), Inside/Out: Lesbian Theories,
course requirements.
Netherlands and Dutch Political
Gay Theories (pp. 71-92). New
Culture, 1986-1994. Tijdschrift voor
We will also engage with
York and London: Routledge.
Genderstudies 18(2): xx-xx.
definitions of activism,
Hekma, G. (2011). Queer in the Netherlands:
activist
politics
and Gay Liberation Front: Manifesto,
examine the notions of London 1971
Pro-gay and anti-sex: Sexual politics at
equality, liberation and
a turning point. In L. Downing and R.
Gillett (Eds.), Queer in Europe (pp. 129emancipation which will OPTIONAL READINGS
142).
accompany us throughout
Bernstein, M. (2002). Identities and Politics:
the course.
Towards a Historical Understanding Hekma, G. & Duyvendak, J. W. (2011). Queer
MAIN CONCEPTS:
Netherlands: A puzzling example.
of the Lesbian and Gay Movement.
Activism, movements,
Sexualities, 14, 625-631.
Social Science History, 26, 531-581.
patriarchy, equality,
liberation, emancipation

THURSDAY, 29 OCT
THEORY IN MOTION
ACADEMIC-ACTIVIST PANEL
(How) Did the Netherlands
Become LGBT Friendly?
Panelists:
Robert J. Davidson, PhD Candidate, ARC-GS
Gert Hekma, Lecturer, Gay & Lesbian Studies
ARC-GS
Marjan Sax, lesbian activist, Amsterdam (TBC)
Kam Wai Kui, trans activist, Amsterdam (TBC)

WEEK 2

WHAT IS QUEER?
TUESDAY, 3 NOV

CORE READINGS

READINGS FOR THURSDAY SESSION

(PLEASE CHOOSE AT LEAST ONE)

In this session we will explore the Cohen, J. C. (1997). Punks, Sicurella, F. (2013). A lesson in queer:
meanings of queer which, once a
bulldaggers,
and
welfare
Interview with Duan Maljkovi.
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso.
pejorative term, was reclaimed by
queens: The radical potential of
queer politics? GLQ, 437-465.
activists
as
an
ambiguous
Bili, B. (submitted). A New Approach
alternative to distinct sexual
to LGBT Politics in Serbia: Queer
identities.
Brown,
G.
(2013).
Queers
Beograd Collective. European
contradictions (and radical
Journal of Women Studies.
sexual politics for precarious
MAIN CONCEPTS:
times). Fragment, 3.
Queer/queerness, identity politics,
intersectionality,
heteronormativity, gay pride, gay
shame, inclusion/exclusion, race,
class, ethnicity
FILM SCREENING FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION
(VOLUNTARY, FRIDAY AFTERNOON)

PRIDE (2014)

THURSDAY, 5 NOV
THEORY IN MOTION
GUEST LECTURE

Encounters in East European LGBT

History and Activism Lecture Series
Duan Maljkovi,
Centre for Queer Studies
Belgrade, Serbia
Queer Activism in Serbia and in the
Post-Yugoslav Space
Students as discussants

WEEK 3

ACTIVISM, CAPITALISM & NEOLIBERALISM

TUESDAY, 10 NOV

CORE READINGS

OPTIONAL READINGS AND OTHER SOURCES

THURSDAY, 12 NOV
THEORY IN MOTION

Although this issue will follow us Sears, A. (2005). Queer anti- Sernatinger, A. & Echeverria, T.
throughout the course, in this
capitalism: Whats left of lesbian
(2013). Queering socialism: An STUDENT PRESENTATIONS
and gay liberation. Science &
session we will zoom in on the ways
interview with Alan Sears.
in which neoliberal capitalism
Society, 69, 92-112.
impacts on LGBT activist strategies.
Brown, G. (2012). Homonormativity: A
Duggan, L. (2002). The new
metropolitan
concept
that
homonormativity: The sexual
denigrates ordinary gay lives. The most salient LGBT-related issues
your
country/region
of
MAIN CONCEPTS:
politics of neoliberalism. In R.
Journal of Homosexuality, 59, in
origin/nationality
or
interest
Homonormativity, capitalism,
Castronovo & D. D. Nelson
1065-1072.
neoliberalism, commodification,
(Eds.), Materializing Democracy:
You may (but need not) use
coalitional politics, solidarity
Towards a Revitalized Cultural
PowerPoint
Politics (pp. 175-194). Durham,
NC: Duke University Press.

WEEK 4

WHO ARE HUMAN RIGHTS FOR?

TUESDAY, 17 NOV

CORE READINGS

READINGS FOR THURSDAY SESSION

(PLEASE CHOOSE AT LEAST ONE)

THURSDAY, 19 NOV
THEORY IN MOTION

In recent years we see that the Stychin, C. R. Same-sex sexualities and Kuhar, R. (2011). Resisting change: GUEST LECTURE
human rights paradigm is gaining
the globalization of human rights.
Same-sex partnership policy
global currency. In this session we
McGill Law Journal, 49, 953-967.
debates in Croatia and Slovenia. Encounters in East European LGBT
will engage with the implications of
Southeast Europe, 1, 25-49.
History and Activism Lecture Series
this
process
and
tensions Lalor, K. (2011). Constituting sexuality:
associated with globalised sexual
rights, politics and power in the Santos, A. C. (2013). Are we there yet?
identities.
Queer sexual encounters, legal Roman Kuhar,
gay rights movement. The
International Journal of Human
recognition and homonormativity University of Ljubljana
Rights, 15, 683-699.
Journal of Gender Studies, 22, 54- Ljubljana, Slovenia
MAIN CONCEPTS:
64.
Human rights, NGOisation,
OPTIONAL READINGS AND OTHER SOURCES
Its the End of the World as We Know It:
globalisation, global gay,
Kollman, K. (2014). Deploying Europe: Marriage Equality Debates in Slovenia
Offord, B. (2013). Queer activist
professionalisation, civil
The creation of discursive
intersections in Southeast Asia:
partnership, same-sex marriage
imperatives for same-sex unions. Students as discussants
Human Rights and Cultural
In P. Ayoub and D. Paternotte
Studies. Asian Studies Review,
(Eds.), LGBT Activism and the
37, 335-349.
Making of Europe (pp. 97-116).
London: Palgrave Macmillan.
FILM SCREENING FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION
(VOLUNTARY, FRIDAY AFTERNOON)

MILK (2008)

Donahue, D. M. (2014). Learning from

Harvey Milk: The limits and opportunities
of one hero to teach about LGBTQ people
and issues. The Social Studies, 105, 36-44.

WEEK 5

(RE)THINKING HOMONATIONALISM
TUESDAY, 24 NOV

CORE READINGS

READINGS FOR THURSDAY SESSION

(PLEASE CHOOSE AT LEAST ONE)

In this session we will Puar,

J.
(2013).
Rethinking Rexhepi, P. (forthcoming). EU-washing:
explore how sexuality and
homonationalism.
International
Queer Politics, Islam and the
Journal of Middle East Studies, 45,
homosexuality,
more
European Enlargement in Kosovo.
specifically,
become
a
In B. Bili (Ed.), LGBT Activism and
336-339.
Europeanisation in the Postcriterion
of
proper
Yugoslav Space. London: Palgrave
citizenship and how nations Mepschen, P. et al. (2010). Sexual Politics,
Macmillan.
start using their gay
Orientalism
and
Multicultural
friendliness as a basis for
Citizenship in the Netherlands.
exclusion and discrimination.
Sociology, 44(5), 962-979.
Kulpa, R. (2014). Western leveraged
pedagogy of Central and Eastern
OPTIONAL READINGS
MAIN CONCEPTS:
Europe: discourses of homophobia,
Homonationalism, sexual
tolerance and nationhood. Gender,
nationalism, postZanghellini, A. (2012). Are gay rights
Place and Culture: A Journal of
colonialism, racism, pink
islamophobic? A critique of some
Feminist Geography, 21, 431-448.
washing, Europeanisation
uses
of
the
concept
of
homonationalism in activism and El-Tayeb, F. (2012). Gays who cannot
academia. Social & Legal Studies, 21,
properly be gay: Queer Muslims in
357-374.
the neoliberal European city.
European Journal of Women
Studies, 19, 79-95.

THURSDAY, 26 NOV
THEORY IN MOTION
GUEST LECTURE

Encounters in East European LGBT History

and Activism Lecture Series
Piro Rexhepi,
New York University
New York, USA
From Orientalism to Homonationalism:
Queer Politics, Islamophobia and
European Enlargement in the
Balkans
Students as discussants

WEEK 6

AIDS ACTIVISM
TUESDAY, 1 DEC
WORLD AIDS DAY

CORE READINGS

OPTIONAL READINGS

THURSDAY, 3 DEC
THEORY IN MOTION

In this session, taking place on Epstein, S. (1993). Impure Sciences: Che Gossett (2014). We will not
the World AIDS Day, we will
AIDS, Activism and the Politics of
rest in peace: AIDS activism,
Knowledge.
take a look at the history and
black
radicalism,
queer
and/or trans resistance. In J.
legacy of AIDS activism as well
Haritaworn, A. Kuntsman & S.
as at the challenges that AIDS Introduction:
Posocco
(Eds.),
Queer
activists face nowadays.
Controversy, Credibility and the Public
Necropolitics.
London:
Character of AIDS Research
Routledge.
MAIN CONCEPTS:
Conclusion:
AIDS, knowledge, power, Credible knowledge hierarchies of
biomedicine
expertise, and the politics of
participation in biomedicine.

MA THESIS RESEARCH PANEL

Q & A on how to write an MA thesis on an
LGBT-related topic
Monica Brondos (US)
Lesbian Spaces in Amsterdam
Eleni Demetriou (Cyprus)
Dutch Children of Gay Parents Coming Out
about Their Parents Sexuality
Tiffany Ebrahim (South Africa)
Homophobia
and
Action
Campaign in South Africa

FILM SCREENING FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION

(VOLUNTARY, FRIDAY AFTERNOON)

WE ARE HERE (2011)

Treatment

Assessment
AQCIs
Presentation
Final paper

20%
20%
60%

The AQCI (argument-question-connections-implications) note-taking system will encourage us to approach texts critically and bring questions,
dilemmas and curiosity to class. You are expected to submit your AQCIs to the instructor at the end of the class after having used them for
class discussion starting from the second week of the course.

Requirements
Creating an atmosphere of learning, cooperation and solidarity where people feel at ease to express opinions, articulate dilemmas and ask
questions.
Both assessment and course requirements will be explained in detail in class.

Email policy
While I am, of course, happy to reply to your emails, it is likely that your fellow students have an enquiry similar to yours.
Why not then raise it in class?

Instructor
BOJAN BILI (PhD UCL) is Marie Curie Fellow at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research, Centre for Gender and Sexuality, University
of Amsterdam. He is working on a project entitled Post-Yugoslav LGBT Activism: Between Nationalism and Europeanisation.
Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research
Office: REC B6.15, Roeterseiland (REC) Building B/C
Email: b.bilic@uva.nl