Queer Logics : From Homonationalism to Homopopulism

J. Lotter

In 2016 and 2017 Europe and North America witnessed the coming out of a rumoured backlash against the liberal democratic internationalist post-WWII world order. This led to and intensified a resurgence of populist-nationalist politics that manifested through an array of consecutive presidential and national elections that took place in some of the world's most prominent liberal democracies, namely the USA, Holland, France and Germany. As such, each instance represents a unique set of circumstances and contexts that influenced their internal political climates; however, a shared hegemonic positioning within the global order, along with a history of multilateral relationships, makes the consequences of these (2016/2017) populist-nationalist electoral results far-reaching and inherently global. The populist-nationalist rhetoric of the 21st century remains closely aligned with notions of exclusionary and respectability politics, and the majority of marginalised communities remain resistant to this. However, shifting geopolitical dynamics have demonstrated new global political outcomes. With a specific focus on LGBTQ politics, this study notes that the rise of populist-nationalism in historically mature liberal democracies in Europe and North America poses a significant threat to the broader LGBTQ community across the globe. Rights advancement remains low (if present at all) on the domestic and foreign agendas of (right-wing) political entities. This study is particularly interested in the increasing public support for populist-nationalist groups coming from segments of the LGBTQ community itself. As such, it argues that in contrast to previous decades, the 21st century is presenting a new type of LGBTQ politics. Through employing the lenses of Queer IR, Cynthia Weber's (2016a) 'queer logics of statecraft' and Jasbir Puar's (2007b) Homonationalism, this study seeks to expose what it calls 'queer collusions' by understanding what seems to be an unconventional and counterintuitive political phenomenon. Through bringing these theories and concepts into conversation, this study conceptualises what it calls a 'political and historical shift in European and North American LGBTQ politics,' that is, from Homonationalism (post-9/11) to Homopopulism (post-Orlando/ISIS). The theorisation of Homopopulism thus assists in understanding the dynamics associated with this shift, particularly the inclusion of the politics of fear against the backdrop of a declining (neo)liberal world order. Homopopulism therefore reveals the queer logics of populism, the fearful queer sovereign subjects that authorise it, and the fear-based sovereign leaders who deploy it.