Burzan, ‘TogEthered at LiQa”, 2016

Milos Burzan, ‘TogEthered at LiQa’: Experiences and Sociality of Queer of Colour Asylum Seekers in Malmö’, Lund University, 2016

Abstract

The rise of homophobia and violence related to it across the postcolonial world has incited many LGBT persons to migrate to Western Europe and North America. One of the possible ways includes seeking asylum on the ground of sexual orientation and gendered identity. In most cases they migrate alone and are compelled to negotiate their sexuality in paradoxical and contradictory ways. Fleeing from homophobia in their home countries, they inevitably face a set of other obstacles and social exclusions on their way to freedom which orient them towards identification with impossible images.
This work is concerned with experiences and process of forming socialites of what I call queer of colour asylum seekers through Project LiQa’. Drawing on one-month fieldwork and interviews with queer of colour asylum seekers and activists, I argue that homophobia is linked to wider political upheavals, globalisation, cultural imperialism and neo-colonialism. I do not take sexual identities and sexual orientation to be pre-given, but rather I connect them with a series of disruptive moments instigated by misrecognition which shape sexualities of queer of colour asylum seeker. I explore the ways of thinking differently about forming sociality based on impossible positions queer of colour asylum seekers have to negotiate.