Religion, homosexuality and nationalism in Europe

What is it about?

In a variety of contexts throughout Europe, the oppositional pairing of religion and homosexuality figures prominently in contemporary public debates. These oppositional pairings reflect crises within and clashes between religious and national collective identities in how they approach LGBT people and LGBT rights. This chapter focuses on the strategic and ideological assumptions, interests, and effects of present-day constructions of sexual orientation, religion, and nationalism in contemporary public expressions in three different parts of Europe: the Netherlands, the Western Balkans, and Sweden. This comparative exploration aims to better understand crucial features of divergent configurations of religion and homosexuality.

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Why is it important?

We have seen and still see important developments in the way people talk about religion and homosexuality in different European contexts. This chapter helps to understand how different types of Church-State relationships, de/secularisation, minority/majority politics etc. shape these discourses.

Perspectives