About the Book
This book offers a new critical perspective on emerging and alternative ‘spaces’ for emancipation within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities. It considers these across various geographic regions, and in times of social, political, and ecological uncertainty and change. The work delves into complex, often invisible spaces where queer communities navigate social, political, and ecological upheavals. Through a blend of critical theory, digital mapping, and rich case studies from regions like the Middle East, North Africa, Singapore, Poland, and Russia, the authors illuminate the intersecting challenges of neocolonial legacies, religious conservatism, and political repression.
A must-read for scholars and advocates involved with human rights and LGBTQ organisations; this book provides a nuanced, interdisciplinary perspective on the evolving landscapes of queer emancipation and resistance. As such, it will appeal to scholars and students of queer studies, political sociology, social inequality, international relations, global studies, international justice, development studies, and the digital humanities.
Table of Contents:
Preface: Global Queer Spaces in a World in Flux
Introduction: Setting the Stage for Queer Spaces
PART 1: MAPPING NEW GLOBAL QUEER SPACES
1. Queer Theory and Space in Times of Uncertainty
2. Visualizing (In)Visible Queer Communities
PART 2: STRUGGLES IN CONTESTED QUEER SPACES
3. Spaces of Otherness Across the Middle East and North Africa
4. LGBTQ Communities and Transitions in Tunisia and Lebanon
5. Neocolonial Legacies and Queerness in Singapore
6. Religion, Illiberalism and Queer Struggles in Poland
7. Queer Scapegoating in Russia
PART 3: A QUEER TOPOGRAPHY
8. A Cartography of Stakeholders and Subversive Activities
Conclusion: Closing Reflections, Queer Research, and Climate Change
About the Author :
Arnaud Kurze is an Associate Professor of Justice Studies at Montclair State University and a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center. He has published widely in academic journals, contributed to edited volumes and is the author of several reports on foreign affairs for government and international organizations. He is the co-author of Justicecraft: Imagining Justice in Times of Conflict (2024) and the book Mapping Global Justice: Perspectives, Cases and Practices (2023). He has been the recipient of many awards and fellowships, including Fulbright, the Library of Congress and the US State Department.
Sarah Sturken is a Research Associate at JusticeCraft Solutions, affiliated with McGill University, the University of Glasgow and Jagiellonian University. Her primary research interests lie in the history of the former Eastern Bloc, with a focus on memory politics, ethnonationalism, and illiberalism. Her work investigates the nexus of the politics of history and memory and nation-building in illiberal regimes. She is the recipient of multiple scholarships and awards, and has conducted research in Canada, the United States, Estonia, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Kazakhstan.
Steve Thwe is a Research Associate at JusticeCraft Solutions, holding a Master’s degree in International Relations from New York University and former managing editor of the Journal of Political Inquiry. His primary research interests lie in the politics of South Asia, with a focus on conflict resolution, ethnonationalism, and democratic consolidation. His work explores the impact of governance systems on the emergence of violent or peaceful outcomes during periods of political contestation.
Review :
“Kurze’s scholarship is always innovative and at the cutting edge of the field. His newest book in collaboration with Sturken and Thwe on queer spaces in international relations continues this tradition and is a must read.”
Michael Williams, Associate Professor, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, USA
“Bold and incisive, Mapping Queerness in Times of Uncertainty reshapes our understanding of queer identities in the modern world. Thanks to its excellent exploration of history, culture, and resistance, this book is an essential contribution to queer discourse, offering both critical insight and profound empathy.”
Bea Ciordia, Former Journalist and International Communications Advisor
“Like water to the desert, this book offers us important non-western perspectives on queer existence. The authors use fascinating case studies ranging from North Africa and the Middle East to Russia, employing new creative frameworks of analysis keeping us readers on our toes.”
Derek Marshall, Community Organizer and Activist
