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What We Talk About When We Talk About Same-Sex Marriage: The Construction of Sexual Citizenship in Federal Policymaking

Jabbar, Talib Ali LU (2013) WPMM40 20131
Department of Political Science
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to examine the representations of gays and lesbians found in the Congressional debate on the federal marriage policy between 1996 and 2013. This study explores the reasons same-sex marriage has promulgated from the chambers of legislation all the way up to the federal judiciary. The challenges brought forth to the federal policy on marriage are at the center of this research. Using political discourse analysis via a software program, Dedoose, I coded for argumentation and rationales uncover frames in the debate as well as the way in which policymakers speak about this particular minority group. This analysis examines how marriage prohibition for gays and lesbians was instated and why it still has adherents.... (More)
The aim of this paper is to examine the representations of gays and lesbians found in the Congressional debate on the federal marriage policy between 1996 and 2013. This study explores the reasons same-sex marriage has promulgated from the chambers of legislation all the way up to the federal judiciary. The challenges brought forth to the federal policy on marriage are at the center of this research. Using political discourse analysis via a software program, Dedoose, I coded for argumentation and rationales uncover frames in the debate as well as the way in which policymakers speak about this particular minority group. This analysis examines how marriage prohibition for gays and lesbians was instated and why it still has adherents. Proponents of a ban on gay marriage relied mostly on frames related to American democratic principles, making claims of strong judicial activism on the part of judiciaries of state and federal governments. The social constructions of gays and lesbians in the policy debate are characterized by opposing constructions of the fundamental nature of sexuality; proponents of a ban largely portray sexuality as a lifestyle or choice while those against a ban portray it as a immutable characteristic. (Less)
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author
Jabbar, Talib Ali LU
supervisor
organization
course
WPMM40 20131
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
sexuality, policy, political discourse, United States, Congress, social identity, marriage
language
English
id
3971608
date added to LUP
2013-09-02 09:06:58
date last changed
2013-09-02 09:06:58
@misc{3971608,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this paper is to examine the representations of gays and lesbians found in the Congressional debate on the federal marriage policy between 1996 and 2013. This study explores the reasons same-sex marriage has promulgated from the chambers of legislation all the way up to the federal judiciary. The challenges brought forth to the federal policy on marriage are at the center of this research. Using political discourse analysis via a software program, Dedoose, I coded for argumentation and rationales uncover frames in the debate as well as the way in which policymakers speak about this particular minority group. This analysis examines how marriage prohibition for gays and lesbians was instated and why it still has adherents. Proponents of a ban on gay marriage relied mostly on frames related to American democratic principles, making claims of strong judicial activism on the part of judiciaries of state and federal governments. The social constructions of gays and lesbians in the policy debate are characterized by opposing constructions of the fundamental nature of sexuality; proponents of a ban largely portray sexuality as a lifestyle or choice while those against a ban portray it as a immutable characteristic.}},
  author       = {{Jabbar, Talib Ali}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{What We Talk About When We Talk About Same-Sex Marriage: The Construction of Sexual Citizenship in Federal Policymaking}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}