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Sexual Politics

Gender
Human Rights
Nationalism
Political Sociology
Feminism
Identity
Mobilisation
LGBTQI
S17
Koen Slootmaeckers
City St George's, University of London
Michael Stambolis-Ruhstorfer
Bordeaux Montaigne University


Abstract

The Sexual Politics section draws its inspiration from decades of social science that argues that sexuality is best understood not as a tangential issue but as an essential avenue of inquiry for political analysis. Sexuality is a core feature of collective life. As a social structure in its own right, and intimately entangled with gender, race, class, and empire, it has a direct impact on the way people organize and understand themselves. Sex is powerful because it simultaneously engages questions of reproduction—physical, social, and cultural—as well as those over moral values and legitimacy. It is thus not surprising that authorities of the state and other social groups would heavily invest in influencing what people do (or do not do) with their bodies and desires. These investments and resistance to them spark a wide range of political effects, from the scientific study and incarceration of sexual “deviants” to the implementation of policies that promote birthrates among certain ethnic groups to social movement strategies that prioritize transnational sexual subjectivities. Scholars link these phenomena to sexuality by analyzing them through distinct conceptual frameworks that center their sexual dimensions, such as hetero/homonormativity, sexual nationalism, and homocapitalism. The relationships between these theorizations has grown more complex—and more fraught—as sexualities scholars grapple with the biases and limitations they produce in the literature. Recognizing this diversity of approaches, the Sexual Politics section aims to serve as a forum bringing together scholars working on or through the lens of sexuality (broadly defined) across disciplines and theoretical orientations as well as substantive areas and methodological practices. This intentionally open stance should create an opportunity for sustained dialogue about the ongoing pertinence of sexuality as both a meaningful analytical tool and worthwhile subject area. The section chairs thus invite all panel and paper proposals that seek to contribute to this conversation. The following themes represent subject areas of particular interest but are by no means meant to be hard limits; all work within the broad area of sexualities will be considered: Intersectionality Sexuality intersects with race, class, gender, citizenship, ability and other social locations to create specific forms of privilege and marginalization. Work in this area should address the way sexuality interacts with these other social structures either on the individual or collective levels. Movements Mobilizations around sexuality, whether they be to entrench the power of dominant groups or to create space for the historically marginalized, have grown increasingly important. This theme deals with research on any aspect of social movements (local, national, international, transnational) that engage with sexual questions. Empire Critical approaches to sexuality bring to light the way (neo)colonialism is inextricably linked to the sexual politics and subjectivities of the contemporary era. Whether it be queer refugees, globalized sexual exploitation, or powerful religious NGOs promoting “traditional” values, work in this area leverages the notion of empire to gain insight. Science, Technology, and Experts What is the role of scientists and experts in sexual politics? Scholarship engaging with this question examines how science produces techniques, categories, and other means of classifying sexuality in ways that impact policy, mobilization, and identity. Families In addition to work on LGBTQI families and the politics around their legal or institutional recognition, this topic includes sexual political analyses of family formation more generally. Sexual practice, emotions and experiences The study of sexual practices, emotions and experiences and how they shape and are shaped by societal and political configurations is only one way through which we can understand the personal as political. This topic encapsulates, but is not limited to, the more anthropological and micro sociological approaches to the study of sexualities. Sex and the Nation Who counts as a member of the body politic? How does sexuality act to draw symbolic boundaries around the definitions of belonging or exclusion? Work in this topic area engages with the many manifestations of sexual citizenship and its relationship to the nation. Education Sexual socialization happens in formal settings such as schools or in informal settings such as with peer groups or at home. Scholarship in this domain examines education as a site for developing, promoting, diffusing, and contesting sexual norms. Theories Work in this area should explicitly deal with the theories and/or theorists who influence sexualities research, including but not limited to queer theory, homo/heternormativity, homo/heteronegativity, homo/heteronationalism, homophobia, etc. Possibilities include analyses of the impact of such theories on the field, their histories, their strengths and weaknesses, as well as new innovations and new theories.
Code Title Details
P006 Anti-gender mobilizations in contemporary world and feminist responses to this trend View Panel Details
P010 Book Preview: Global Perspectives on Anti-Feminism: Far-Right and Religious Attacks on Equality and Diversity View Panel Details
P023 Disentangling Anti-Gender Politics in Eastern Europe: Moving towards Novel Conceptual Frames View Panel Details
P081 Scales and Scope: The Politics of Yup and Nope View Panel Details
P083 Setting your Sights: (Re)framing Activism and Rights View Panel Details
P099 Vote for US? Elections and LGBTQI+ View Panel Details
P101 We are Here: The Geopolitics of Queer View Panel Details