Heteroactivism, Homonationalism and National Projects
Stefanie C. Boulila (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts), Kath Browne (University College Dublin), Catherine Jean Nash (Brock University),
Call for Papers for a Special Issue proposal for ACME: Journal of Critical Geographers
We are looking for 1-2 more papers for a special issue that we will propose to ACME. Papers for this special issue will be due in March 2020.
It has long been argued that the national project is inherently heteronormative – creating and celebrating specific family forms, as well as reiterating nationalistic visions through gendered and sexualised normativities (Binnie and Bell, 2000; Sharp, 1996; Yuval-Davis 1997). More recently, investigations of homonationalism have explored the cooption and use of (white) lesbian and gay ‘acceptances’ often in the form of civil unions to reproduce the national project, affirm racial hierarchies and engage in postcolonial military conflict (Puar, 2007; El-Tayeb 2011, Haritaworn 2012). At the same time there have been new forms of resistances to sexual and gender equalities, including anti-gender campaigns. As an analytical category, heteroactivism opens up a space to examine these phenomena relationally as well as in their heterogeneity (Browne and Nash, 2017).
The securitization of borders, the rise of populism and the far right in allegedly post-racial times require sexual and gendered analyses that engage with the multiplicities of support and oppositions to rights, equalities and intersectional justice (Boulila 2019). This special issue seeks explore the multifarious intersections of heteroactivism, nationalist/racialised projects. However, it does not presume discrete nations/borders and papers that address the transnational formations of nationalisms cannot be overlooked. Discussions in this vein are also encouraged. Topics might include, but are not limited to:
- Race/religion/nationalisms and oppositions to/acceptances of sexual and gender equalities/rights
- Modernity, Europeanness/Americanness and LGBT/Women’s rights
- Cultural wars, universities and governmental interventions
- Sexualities of the far right/populisms
- Gender and sexual norms and nationalisms
- Opposing the oppositions/acceptances: Confrontation, debate and protest, the promise of oppositional politics
- Heteroactivism and homonationalist affirmations
If you are interested in submitting a paper, please send an abstract of no more than 250 words Stefanie.boulila@posteo.