Publisher's Synopsis
How do lesbian, gay, and queer identities construct a relation to the institutions that are widely understood to form the basis of social belonging? Starting from diverse theoretical perspectives, the eleven essays in this volume further scholarly debate in the study of gender and sexuality by exploring the relation of non-hetero sexualities to the geographies, poetics and legalities of belonging. - - 'Queer studies' emerged initially in academic and activist spheres in the US, and the field continues to be dominated by texts and experiences marked by those particular contemporary cultural contexts. By contrast, In a Queer Place shines fresh light on the very different locations of homo sexualities within British and European contexts, and thus represents an important extension of the scope of lesbian and gay studies. Each essay draws on multiple sources, including historical and legal documents, the texts of literature and popular culture, ethnographic writings, and personal experience. - - In their attention to cultural, historical and textual specifics, the contributors deploy significant new research to elaborate fresh understandings of key concerns in the study of the social meanings of gender and sexuality.
