CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2015
| Author | Viski, Vlad Levente |
|---|---|
| Title | AN ARMY OF GENERALS WITHOUT RANK-AND-FILE: BUILDING A GAY AND LESBIAN SOCIAL MOVEMENT IN ROMANIA AFTER 2001 |
| Summary | The institutionalized gay and lesbian social movement emerged in Romania after the decriminalization of homosexuality in 2001. Using a narrative analysis I reconstruct the development of social activism centered on sexuality. Using oral history and grey data, I bring forward the story of a marginalized and excluded group. I argue that Romanian gay and lesbian activists framed their demands under the larger concepts of human rights and Europeanization. I look at points of access for activists in their relationship with the Romanian state and at the transnational structures used in order to promote gay and lesbian rights. I show that this relationship was a sinuous one, mostly influenced by transnational entities such as the EU or international human rights organizations. After Romania joined the EU, gay and lesbian rights became less of a priority for the Romanian state. I underline the main debates within the gay and lesbian movement in Romania showing that after 2005, a schism took place, with one side continuing its top-down strategy, relying mostly on lobby and advocacy, and the new one applying an American-type, bottom-up grassroots strategy in order to build a community, using HIV/AIDS prevention as a frame. I argue that the top-down approach lead to the advancement of a favorable legislation, but it failed to build a community. The grassroots approach survived as long as it had funding. Since important international donors withdrew from Romania after 2012, the gay and lesbian movement has been experiencing a major crisis. |
| Supervisor | Sgier, Lea |
| Department | Political Science MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2015/viski_vlad.pdf |
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