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“What Is the 'Problem' Represented to Be?” - A thematic discourse analysis of six reports on the human rights abuses and lived effects of LGBTQIAP+ persons in Sri Lanka

Holm, Clara Nishani LU (2021) MRSK62 20202
Human Rights Studies
Abstract
NGOs are influential actors in world politics and development efforts. During the last decade increasing numbers of NGOs, international and national, have been reporting on the violations of the human rights of LGBTQIAP+ persons and the challenges these people face in their lives. How they report on these issues matters since language and discourse have an influence over whose voices are heard and how they are used for political ends. In Sri Lanka, there are gender expectations and gender norms that are deeply rooted and those who challenge these gender norms may face abuse from both private individuals and state officials. This is a thematic discourse analysis of the discourse in six different NGO reports used to report on the human... (More)
NGOs are influential actors in world politics and development efforts. During the last decade increasing numbers of NGOs, international and national, have been reporting on the violations of the human rights of LGBTQIAP+ persons and the challenges these people face in their lives. How they report on these issues matters since language and discourse have an influence over whose voices are heard and how they are used for political ends. In Sri Lanka, there are gender expectations and gender norms that are deeply rooted and those who challenge these gender norms may face abuse from both private individuals and state officials. This is a thematic discourse analysis of the discourse in six different NGO reports used to report on the human rights and lived effects for LGBTQIAP+ persons in Sri Lanka. I have used Carol Bacchi’s method and framework “What Is the ‘Problem’ Represented to Be?” to examine how the lived effects and challenges for LGBTQIAP+ people in Sri Lanka have been constructed and represented in these reports, as well as what the silences are, and what is left unproblematic. The result of this study shows that all of the reports present the dominant ‘problem’ to be the penal codes of Sri Lanka, mainly section 365 and 365A. Several aspects were left unproblematised or silenced in the reports. The majority of the reports had the same trends and patterns, such as not problematising socio-cultural aspects and overlooking mental health. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Icke-statliga organisationer är inflytelserika aktörer i världspolitiken och utvecklingsarbeten. Under det senaste decenniet har allt fler icke-statliga organisationer, internationella och nationella, rapporterat om kränkningar av de mänskliga rättigheterna för HBTQIAP+ personer och de utmaningar som de möter i deras liv. Hur de rapporterar om dessa frågor är viktiga eftersom språk och diskurs har inflytande över vems röster hörs och hur de används i politiska syften. I Sri Lanka finns genusförväntningar och könsnormer som är djupt rotade och de som utmanar dessa genusnormer kan utsättas för övergrepp från både privatpersoner och statliga tjänstemän. Detta är en tematisk diskursanalys av diskursen i sex olika NGO- rapporter som används för... (More)
Icke-statliga organisationer är inflytelserika aktörer i världspolitiken och utvecklingsarbeten. Under det senaste decenniet har allt fler icke-statliga organisationer, internationella och nationella, rapporterat om kränkningar av de mänskliga rättigheterna för HBTQIAP+ personer och de utmaningar som de möter i deras liv. Hur de rapporterar om dessa frågor är viktiga eftersom språk och diskurs har inflytande över vems röster hörs och hur de används i politiska syften. I Sri Lanka finns genusförväntningar och könsnormer som är djupt rotade och de som utmanar dessa genusnormer kan utsättas för övergrepp från både privatpersoner och statliga tjänstemän. Detta är en tematisk diskursanalys av diskursen i sex olika NGO- rapporter som används för att rapportera om rättigheter och levande effekter för HBTQIAP+ personer i Sri Lanka. Jag har använt Carol Bacchis metod och teori "Vad är "problemet" som representeras?" för att undersöka hur de levda effekterna och utmaningarna för HBTQIAP+ personer i Sri Lanka har konstruerats och representerats i dessa rapporter, samt vad tystnaderna är och vad som lämnas oproblematiskt. Resultatet av denna uppsats visar att alla rapporter representerar det dominanta ’problemet’ till att vara Sri Lankas strafflag, främst 365 och 365A. Flera aspekter lämnades oproblematiserade eller i tystnad i rapporterna. Majoriteten av rapporterna hade samma trender och mönster, som att inte problematisera sociokulturella aspekter och förbise mental hälsa. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Holm, Clara Nishani LU
supervisor
organization
course
MRSK62 20202
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
LGBTQIAP+, Sri Lanka, WPR, NGO reports, discourse, gender, sexual orientation, human rights, penal code, representation
language
English
id
9039524
date added to LUP
2021-02-18 11:13:56
date last changed
2021-02-18 11:13:56
@misc{9039524,
  abstract     = {{NGOs are influential actors in world politics and development efforts. During the last decade increasing numbers of NGOs, international and national, have been reporting on the violations of the human rights of LGBTQIAP+ persons and the challenges these people face in their lives. How they report on these issues matters since language and discourse have an influence over whose voices are heard and how they are used for political ends. In Sri Lanka, there are gender expectations and gender norms that are deeply rooted and those who challenge these gender norms may face abuse from both private individuals and state officials. This is a thematic discourse analysis of the discourse in six different NGO reports used to report on the human rights and lived effects for LGBTQIAP+ persons in Sri Lanka. I have used Carol Bacchi’s method and framework “What Is the ‘Problem’ Represented to Be?” to examine how the lived effects and challenges for LGBTQIAP+ people in Sri Lanka have been constructed and represented in these reports, as well as what the silences are, and what is left unproblematic. The result of this study shows that all of the reports present the dominant ‘problem’ to be the penal codes of Sri Lanka, mainly section 365 and 365A. Several aspects were left unproblematised or silenced in the reports. The majority of the reports had the same trends and patterns, such as not problematising socio-cultural aspects and overlooking mental health.}},
  author       = {{Holm, Clara Nishani}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“What Is the 'Problem' Represented to Be?” - A thematic discourse analysis of six reports on the human rights abuses and lived effects of LGBTQIAP+ persons in Sri Lanka}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}