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Excluded Subjects - A discourse analysis on (bi)sexuality and 'sexual orientation' in Swedish asylum case law

Gert, Sara LU (2022) GNVM03 20221
Department of Gender Studies
Abstract
This thesis examines how bisexuality get constructed as a distinct sexual orientation category through asylum determination processes in Sweden. With a theoretical focus on the interaction between notions of sexuality and national borders this study also investigates how the assessment of ‘sexual orientation’ asylum claims contribute to the regulation of the Swedish border. To investigate these two research questions the study draws on a variety of theoretical traditions, such as queer migration studies, feminist, and postcolonial border studies, as well as queer and bisexuality theory. By applying Chantal Mouffe and Ernesto Laclau’s discourse theory as the analytical method, this study is able to show that bisexuality is constructed as a... (More)
This thesis examines how bisexuality get constructed as a distinct sexual orientation category through asylum determination processes in Sweden. With a theoretical focus on the interaction between notions of sexuality and national borders this study also investigates how the assessment of ‘sexual orientation’ asylum claims contribute to the regulation of the Swedish border. To investigate these two research questions the study draws on a variety of theoretical traditions, such as queer migration studies, feminist, and postcolonial border studies, as well as queer and bisexuality theory. By applying Chantal Mouffe and Ernesto Laclau’s discourse theory as the analytical method, this study is able to show that bisexuality is constructed as a highly specific and static sexual orientation, receiving its meaning largely from the notion that sexual orientations are innate. This discursive construction means that most bisexual asylum claimants are assessed as not credible and are, therefore, denied asylum. Furthermore, the analysis illustrates how the discourses that are articulated in the assessment of ‘sexual orientation’ asylum claims can be seen to interact with the regulation of the Swedish border by interpellating individual asylum claimants into different subject positions that are aimed for either inclusion or, more often, for exclusion. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Gert, Sara LU
supervisor
organization
course
GNVM03 20221
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
asylum determinations, bisexuality, borders, credibility, sexual orientation
language
English
id
9100905
date added to LUP
2022-09-28 08:48:05
date last changed
2022-09-28 08:48:05
@misc{9100905,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines how bisexuality get constructed as a distinct sexual orientation category through asylum determination processes in Sweden. With a theoretical focus on the interaction between notions of sexuality and national borders this study also investigates how the assessment of ‘sexual orientation’ asylum claims contribute to the regulation of the Swedish border. To investigate these two research questions the study draws on a variety of theoretical traditions, such as queer migration studies, feminist, and postcolonial border studies, as well as queer and bisexuality theory. By applying Chantal Mouffe and Ernesto Laclau’s discourse theory as the analytical method, this study is able to show that bisexuality is constructed as a highly specific and static sexual orientation, receiving its meaning largely from the notion that sexual orientations are innate. This discursive construction means that most bisexual asylum claimants are assessed as not credible and are, therefore, denied asylum. Furthermore, the analysis illustrates how the discourses that are articulated in the assessment of ‘sexual orientation’ asylum claims can be seen to interact with the regulation of the Swedish border by interpellating individual asylum claimants into different subject positions that are aimed for either inclusion or, more often, for exclusion.}},
  author       = {{Gert, Sara}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Excluded Subjects - A discourse analysis on (bi)sexuality and 'sexual orientation' in Swedish asylum case law}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}