The module examines the role of sexual orientation and gender identity in politics drawing on multidisciplinary research on social movements, transnational rights advocacy, identity politics, public opinion and political behaviour, as well as regional studies. In many countries, the subject of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) rights has entered the political discourse with unprecedented speed and suddenness. For an issue that was most often relegated to the private sphere, the rapid global expansion of LGBTI rights, as well as changes in public opinion toward LGBTI and queer people, has been nothing short of remarkable. At the same time, recent years have shown heightening global resistance to these rights in the name of “traditional values.” This module is designed to gain leverage on the domestic and international processes that explain such changes. Students will develop a solid understanding of the origins of LGBTIQ mobilization and the political forces that shaped the evolution of LGBTIQ movements and their strategies. Together we will explore when and why LGBTIQ people organized for civil rights, what strategies they pursued, and how they navigated varied and complex cultural, legal, and political terrains. Drawing on a comparativist toolkit, we will ask: What factors have facilitated the mobilization of LGBTIQ people? Why and how have public opinion and state laws towards LGBTIQ people changed differently across various countries? And what impact do global resistance movements have on such rights?  To answer these questions, we will analyse the political history of a movement that has captured the world’s attention, and theories that help us understand the factors that have moved a marginalized group from the political periphery to the centre of public debate and contestation.

The aim of the module is to develop a critical understanding of the spread of LGBTIQ movements and rights. We achieve this through study of the movement’s political history and comparing the great variation across countries in the socio-legal recognition of LGBTIQ people. Through the use of case studies, recent debates and empirical evidence on issues as diverse as the emergence of LGBTIQ identities and movements, the rise of transnational LGBTIQ activism, changes in public opinion, shifts in representation and rights, and backlash of homo- and trans-phobia, this module will apply the tools of comparative and international politics to answer these important questions.