Europe’s Lgbtq Histories, Cultures And Politics: A Comparative Global Perspective

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

This course aims at comparative and transnational approach to LGBTQ histories, cultures, politics and rights in Europe. We will examine the late modern and contemporary European histories of sexuality and love, concentrating on questions of queer identities, freedom of expression, the cultural representations of desire and love, marriage equality, censorship and homophobic repression, and the intersection of culture and the politics of emancipation. This European story will be related to parallel global developments in 20th and 21st century. The historical cultural focus will be on visual arts, film, media, literature, theatre, pop culture and sexual politics since the 1960s, paying attention to the contemporary situation in the EU and broader Europe in 2020. Research into and discussions about particular national cases in Europe and globally will be determined by the nationality of students participating in the course. The interdisciplinary nature of the seminar makes it open and relevant to students from such disciplines as European Studies; Global Studies and Ethnicity; History; Art, Cinema, Literature and Theater Studies, Gender Studies and Law.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Seminar attendance and the reading of assigned texts are compulsory. Seminars will be organized around discussion about reading from the syllabus and around individual students’ presentations of selected topics. On a rotating basis, each student will give a couple of brief presentations that should include visual material and the obligatory readings. The classes are intended to foster lively discussion, dialogic exchange and mutual learning. Toward the end of the semester each student will deliver a longer talk on their research for the final paper. Therefore the ability to critically understand and summarize academic and journalistic texts is necessary, as well as the skills of in class presentations and academic writing. The general knowledge of European history and current politics would be appreciated.

Syllabus

Class 1 and 2: A Contemporary History of Homosexuality in Europe: The Paradoxes of Divided and United Continent. Class 3: The Human Rights Policy of the European Union. Class 4: The Differences in LGBTQ Lives and Laws in 21st Century Europe Class 5: The Russian and Eastern European StrugglesClass 6: The Impact of Queer European Cinema Class 7: LGBTQ Art, Its Exhibitions and Institutions Class 8: The Power and Popularity of LGBTQ Writings Class 9: The Current Debates in the European Sexual Politics Class 10: Sexuality and/versus Nationalism Class 11: Cosmopolitan and Liberal Milieu of Major European CitiesClass 12-14: Comparative National Case Studies: Students’ Short Presentations Class 15: A Conclusion and Students’ Final Papers Discussion

Reading list

-Beger, Nico J., Tensions in the Struggle for Sexual Minority Rights in Europe. Que(e)rying Political Practices. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 2004.- Blake, Nayland, Lawrence Rinder and Amy Scholder. eds. In a Different Light. Visual Culture, Sexual Identity, Queer Practic.e San Francisco: University Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, University of California at Berkeley, City Lights Books, 1995.-Cook, Mark & Evans, J.V., eds. Queer Cities, Queer Cultures: Europe since 1945. London: Bloomsbury, 2014.- Dyer, Richard. Now You See It. Studies on Lesbian and Gay Film. New York, London: Routledge, 1990.-Faderman, Lilliana. The Gay Revolution. The Story of the Struggle. New York, London, Toronto, Sydney: Simon & Schuster, 2015. -Getsy, David J. ed. Queer Art. Documents of Contemporary Art. London: Whitechapel Gallery, The MIT Press, 2016.-Griffiths, Robin and Mark Griffiths, eds. Queer Cinema in Europe. Bristol, Chicago: Intellect, 2008.-Healey, Dan. Russian Homophobia from Stalin to Sochi. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017. -Horne, Peter and Lewis Reina, eds. Outlooks. Lesbian and Gay Sexualities and Visual Cultures. London, New York: Routledge,1996.-Duberman, Martin, ed. Hidden From History: Reclaiming the Gay and Lesbian Past. New York: Penguin, 1989. -Kitliński, Tomasz. Dream? Democracy! A Philosophy of Horror, Hope & Hospitality in Art & Action. Lublin: Maria Curie-Skłodowska University Press 2014. -Leszkowicz, Pawel. Ars Homo Erotica (exhibition catalogue). Warsaw: The National Museum of Art, CePed, 2010. -Lord, Catherine and Meyer Richard, eds. Art & Queer Culture. London, New York: Phaidon 2013.-Miller, Neil. Out of the Past. Gay and Lesbian History from 1869 to the Present. London, New York: Vintage, 1995.-Nussbaum, Martha C. Sex and Social Justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.-Nussbaum, Martha C. From Disgust to Humanity. Sexual Orientation and Constitutional Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.- Russo, Vito. The Celluloid Closet. Homosexuality in the Movies. New York: Harper&Row, 1985.- Rosello, Mireille, ed. What's Queer about Europe? Productive Encounters and Re-enchanting Paradigms. Fordham University Press, 2014.-Tin, Louis-Georges. ed. The Dictionary of Homophobia: A Global History of Gay & Lesbian Experience. Vancouver: Arsenal Pulp Press, 2008.