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The “Special” Minority: Western aid and LGBTI-activism in Kisumu, Kenya.

Nyrell, Sofia LU (2015) TKAM02 20151
Division of Ethnology
Abstract (Swedish)
I denna uppsats används reflexiva etnografiska metoder för att problematisera relationen
mellan bidrag från Väst, den Kenyanska samhälleliga kontexten och HBTQ-organisationer.
Ett queerteoretisk, intersektionellt perspektiv används för att undersöka ämnen som bidrag,
bidragskrav, mänskliga rättigheter och kulturrelativism för att förstå hur bidrag från
Västerländska institutioner som NGOs och myndigheter påverkar arbetet som görs av HBTQ-rättsaktivister
i Kisumu, Kenya.
Genom att se på bidrag utifrån Marcel Mauss teori om gåvan föreslås att bidrag alltid
ges med olika variationer av krav. Detta placerar Västerländska bidragsinstitutioner i en
maktposition över lokala aktivister i termer av äganderätt över resultatvärdering,... (More)
I denna uppsats används reflexiva etnografiska metoder för att problematisera relationen
mellan bidrag från Väst, den Kenyanska samhälleliga kontexten och HBTQ-organisationer.
Ett queerteoretisk, intersektionellt perspektiv används för att undersöka ämnen som bidrag,
bidragskrav, mänskliga rättigheter och kulturrelativism för att förstå hur bidrag från
Västerländska institutioner som NGOs och myndigheter påverkar arbetet som görs av HBTQ-rättsaktivister
i Kisumu, Kenya.
Genom att se på bidrag utifrån Marcel Mauss teori om gåvan föreslås att bidrag alltid
ges med olika variationer av krav. Detta placerar Västerländska bidragsinstitutioner i en
maktposition över lokala aktivister i termer av äganderätt över resultatvärdering, prioritet av
resurser och metoder för förmedling av HBTQ-relaterad information. Att specifikt rikta
bidrag till HBTQ-organisationer skapar misstro mot organisationerna samt göder
uppfattningar om HBTQ som en elitistisk grupp sökandes speciella rättigheter jämfört med
resten av Kenyas befolkning. Specifikt riktade resurser kan även skapa ett klimat som bidrar
till konkurrens mellan organisationer där svårigheter Kenyanska HBTQ-personer möter varje
dag blir inslag i en ’tävling om bidrag’ mellan organisationer.
I resultatdiskussionen föreslås att fokus bör ligga på att skapa relationer med övriga
institutioner för utvecklingsarbete och på så sätt koppla HBTQ-rättigheter närmare andra
mänskliga rättighetsrörelser. Detta kan bidra till minskad misstro och exkludering mot HBTQ. (Less)
Abstract
This thesis uses reflexive ethnographic methods to problematise the relationship between
Western aid, the Kenyan societal context and LGBTI-rights organisations. It takes a queer
theoretical intersectional approach to the themes aid and aid conditionality, human rights, and
cultural relativism in order to understand how aid from Western institutions such as NGOs
and governments affects the work of LGBTI-rights activists in Kisumu, Kenya.
By viewing aid through the theory of the gift by Marcel Mauss, it suggests that aid
always comes with conditions in varying degrees. Consequently, this puts Western aid
institutions in a power position above local activists in terms of ownership of valuing results,
prioritising of resources and... (More)
This thesis uses reflexive ethnographic methods to problematise the relationship between
Western aid, the Kenyan societal context and LGBTI-rights organisations. It takes a queer
theoretical intersectional approach to the themes aid and aid conditionality, human rights, and
cultural relativism in order to understand how aid from Western institutions such as NGOs
and governments affects the work of LGBTI-rights activists in Kisumu, Kenya.
By viewing aid through the theory of the gift by Marcel Mauss, it suggests that aid
always comes with conditions in varying degrees. Consequently, this puts Western aid
institutions in a power position above local activists in terms of ownership of valuing results,
prioritising of resources and methods for LGBTI-related discourse. To single out LGBTI-organisations
specifically for funding creates a suspicion towards these organisations from the
surrounding society; nourishing views of LGBTI as an elitist group which seeks for special
rights compared to the rest of the Kenyan population. Economical resources specifically
directed to these organisations could create a climate of competition among similar parties
where the daily issues of LGBTI-persons become the commodity in a ‘race for funds’
between organisations.
It is suggested that the focus should be on creating collaborations with other
development institutions and in this way connect LGBTI-issues more closely to other human
rights causes, minimising suspicion and exclusion towards LGBTI. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Nyrell, Sofia LU
supervisor
organization
course
TKAM02 20151
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
reflexive ethnography, human rights, Western aid, cultural relativism, queer theory, African LGBTI-activism, non governmental organizations, mänskliga rättigheter, reflexiv etnografi, bidrag, kulturrelativism, queerteori, Afrikansk HBTQ-aktivism, NGOs, MACA
language
English
id
5468483
date added to LUP
2015-06-08 09:49:14
date last changed
2015-06-25 14:24:32
@misc{5468483,
  abstract     = {{This thesis uses reflexive ethnographic methods to problematise the relationship between
Western aid, the Kenyan societal context and LGBTI-rights organisations. It takes a queer
theoretical intersectional approach to the themes aid and aid conditionality, human rights, and
cultural relativism in order to understand how aid from Western institutions such as NGOs
and governments affects the work of LGBTI-rights activists in Kisumu, Kenya.
By viewing aid through the theory of the gift by Marcel Mauss, it suggests that aid
always comes with conditions in varying degrees. Consequently, this puts Western aid
institutions in a power position above local activists in terms of ownership of valuing results,
prioritising of resources and methods for LGBTI-related discourse. To single out LGBTI-organisations
specifically for funding creates a suspicion towards these organisations from the
surrounding society; nourishing views of LGBTI as an elitist group which seeks for special
rights compared to the rest of the Kenyan population. Economical resources specifically
directed to these organisations could create a climate of competition among similar parties
where the daily issues of LGBTI-persons become the commodity in a ‘race for funds’
between organisations.
It is suggested that the focus should be on creating collaborations with other
development institutions and in this way connect LGBTI-issues more closely to other human
rights causes, minimising suspicion and exclusion towards LGBTI.}},
  author       = {{Nyrell, Sofia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The “Special” Minority: Western aid and LGBTI-activism in Kisumu, Kenya.}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}