Introduction: Schools as queer transformative spaces

This chapter introduces the key themes and questions to be addressed throughout the book. It introduces salient aspects of the social, political, historical and economic context relating to the research presented in the chapters appearing in the volume. The chapter presents the rationale for producing the book. The introduction then outlines the theoretical underpinnings of chapters in the volume which are all informed by queer theory and/or critical feminist theories, with additional insights from psychological, sociological and linguistic perspectives. Specific attention is paid to the utilisation of feminist and queer theories in conceptualisations of space and place in which it is argued that space has the potential to be ‘queered’ through the performative enactment of non-heteronormative identities, desires and practices. We develop this argument by suggesting that schools, as both physical and ideological ‘spaces’, can be queered in ways which open up a range of possibilities for enacting gender and sexual identities, the result of which is a positively transformative social and learning experience for all students. The chapter explains how each of the subsequent chapters will exemplify such process through presenting empirical research which is informed by these theories of queer transformative space

In search of queer spaces in Tehran: Heterotopias, power geometries and bodily orientations in queer Iranian men’s lives

Publisher's version (útgefin grein)This article is based on an ethnographic study that provides insights into queer Iranian men’s lives in Iran, and specifically in Tehran. It was conceived in response to concerns about accounts provided by gay internationalist framings of the queer Iranian subject as reducible to a meta-narrative of homophobic persecution at the hands of an Islamic repressive state. By employing Foucauldian analytic frameworks that attend to questions of heterotopic spatiality in conjunction with Massey’s notion of power geometries and Ahmed’s queer phenomenological perspective, we illuminate the complexity of queer Iranian men’s spatio-temporal modes of sociality and practices of doing sex. We draw primarily on interviews with eight gay- identifying men as vital sources of data that speak to the terms of the livability of a queer life under repressive conditions of Islamic jurisprudential governance in Iran.Peer Reviewe

"Boys in Power": Consent and Genered Power Dynamics in Sex

Sexual consent determines if sex is consensual, but the concept is under-researched globally. In this article, we focus on heterosexual young men and how they negotiate sex and consent. We draw on peer group interviews to understand how young men are constituted by the dominant discourses at play in shaping their realities. We have identified two different discourses that inform consent, the discourse of consent (based on legal, educational, and grassroots discourses), and the discourse of heterosexuality (based on the heterosexual script, porn, and gender roles) resulting in conflicting messages for boys. They are supposed to take responsibility for sex to be consensual as well as being gentle partners, but at the same time, the heterosexual discourse itself produces power imbalances in sex and dating.Peer Reviewe

Windows of opportunities: Nordic perspectives on sexual diversity in education

The Nordic countries have often been depicted as progressive societies regarding sexual diversity and gender equality. These progressive changes in sexual minority issues, however, have not brought about radical changes in educational policies in addressing gender and sexual equality in schools. Both compulsory and upper secondary education often lack coherent protection of queer students. The same applies to specific policies on queer issues within the education system; they are hidden in the depths of many national curricula. In fact, a discrepancy exists in broader social policies supporting equality based on sexual orientation in the educational context. The main objective of this article is to investigate this discrepancy and justify it. In doing so, we will discuss in detail the educational policies and practices on sexualities currently operating in the Nordic area, particularly in Finland and Iceland. We analyse curricula documents, legislation, research reports, and other data from our own research projects, including ethnographic interviews, observation data, survey data, and written material.Academy of Finland (Strategic Research Council) [Grant number 292883] and University of IcelandPre-print versio

Nordic discourses on marginalisation through education

The purpose of this article is analysis of discursive marginalisation through education in Nordic welfare states. What knowledge do Nordic research discourses produce about marginalisation through education in Nordic welfare states? What are the Nordic contributions to research discourses on marginalisation through education? We apply a discourse theoretical approach and analyse 109 peer-reviewed publications on marginalisation by the Nordic Centre of Excellence “Justice through education in the Nordic countries” (NCoE JustEd) between 2013 and 2017. The publications are from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland. Four critical Nordic research discourses reconceptualise marginalisation in relation to dominant educational discourses on marketisation, Eurocentrism, gender equity and ableism. These Nordic research discourses document discursive effects of the dominant, normalising discourses in terms of stigma, segregation and exclusion of poor, working-class students, non-white and immigrant students and descendants of immigrants, as well as sexual minorities and disabled students. Based on ethical, epistemological and methodological considerations, the critical Nordic research discourses produce knowledge about marginalisation as a relational, intersectional and interdiscursive phenomenon. The critical Nordic research discourses de- and reconstruct knowledge about marginalisation in Nordic welfare states.Peer reviewe

Running Scared? A Critical Analysis of LGBTQ+ Inclusion policy in Schools

This article provides an overview of the UK government policy in relation to relationships and sex education in schools. It focuses on the latest statutory guidance which requires primary and secondary schools in England to teach pupils about different types of relationships, including same-sex relationships. We outline the current policy frameworks and present a rationale for why Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer (LGBTQ+) identities and relationships should be in the curriculum. We critically interrogate the government response and we present a framework to support the implementation of a whole school approach to LGBTQ+ inclusion. We draw on Meyer’s model of minority stress to explore risks to children and young people if they are not provided with an LGBTQ+ curriculum

Tales from the chalkface: using narratives to explore agency, resilience and identity of gay teachers

Existing literature is dominated by accounts which position gay teachers as victims. We were concerned that this only presented a partial insight into the experiences of gay teachers. This study researched the personal and professional experiences of four gay teachers in England. It builds on existing research by presenting positive narratives rather than positioning gay teachers as victims. We use the term “chalkface” to illustrate that all were practicing teachers. The purpose of the study was to explore their experiences as gay teachers throughout their careers. The study used the life history method to create narratives of each participant. Semi-structured interviews were used. The study found that the repeal of Section 28 in England in 2003 did not have an immediate effect on the identities, resilience, and agency of the participants. The 2010 Equality Act in England and changes to the school inspection framework had a greater influence in supporting their agency, resilience, and willingness to merge personal and professional identities. All but one participant managed to use their identities as gay teachers to advance inclusion and social justice through the curriculum. Although the narratives that we have presented do illuminate some negative experiences, the accounts are largely positive, in contrast with existing literature which positions gay teachers as victims

Trade Openness and Inequality: an Empirical Analysis

This paper investigates the empirical relationship between openness to trade and within-country income inequality. The estimation is carried out with group and time fixed effects, using an unbalanced panel of 112 countries over the period of 1988-2008. A key result is that the impact of increased openness on inequality is negatively related to education levels. For most countries the estimated effect is positive but in countries where the share of population with secondary education is high the effect is reversed and increased openness is expected to lower inequality. Thus, more widespread education may provide protection against increased inequality due to globalization, in direct conflict with the Stolper-Samuelson theorem. This supports the view that rising within-country inequality in many rich countries in recent decades is driven by other forces than globalization. The results are highly significant, robust to various changes in model specification, and not sensitive to the omission of subsets of the sample. In general, the estimated impact of openness is quite small in terms of changes in the Gini coefficient, but in some cases substantial when examined specifically for individual quintiles of the income distribution

"Boys in Power"

Sexual consent determines if sex is consensual, but the concept is under-researched globally. In this article, we focus on heterosexual young men and how they negotiate sex and consent. We draw on peer group interviews to understand how young men are constituted by the dominant discourses at play in shaping their realities. We have identified two different discourses that inform consent, the discourse of consent (based on legal, educational, and grassroots discourses), and the discourse of heterosexuality (based on the heterosexual script, porn, and gender roles) resulting in conflicting messages for boys. They are supposed to take responsibility for sex to be consensual as well as being gentle partners, but at the same time, the heterosexual discourse itself produces power imbalances in sex and dating.Peer Reviewe