International polarization around LGBT rights in Europe – a case study of Czechia and Slovakia.

The proposal deals with the current international clash around LGBT rights between liberal actors pushing for the rights of gay and transgender people and those promoting conservative anti-LGBT agenda. The promotion of LGBT rights has recently faced a severe backlash all over Europe, from West to East. Opposition to gender equality and sexual rights is not new, but it has dramatically increased in recent years. The opposition is indeed on the rise all over Europe, however, there are significant differences even between similar countries. Why it is so, why do LGBT rights spread to some countries successfully and they are strongly opposed in other states? The two case studies of the project, Czechia and Slovakia, are perfect cases for an analysis. The two successor states of the former federation, have common history and are geographically very close, but they are becoming more and more distant with regards to LGBT rights, the former being the most pro-LGBT country from the post-communist bloc, the latter joining many other Eastern European countries where the conservative agenda is on the rise. My overall question is what the specific domestic (socio-demographic factors, political context, LGBT/conservative movements, their strategies) and transnational (the role of the EU and LGBT network, and the role of Russia and conservative network) factors explaining different development regarding LGBT rights in the context of the current polarization around sexual rights are.

Keywords:POLARIZATION

Disciplines:Other economics and business, Applied sociology, Policy and administration, Social psychology, Social stratification, Social theory and sociological methods, Sociology of life course, family and health, Other sociology and anthropology, Citizenship, immigration and political inequality, International and comparative politics, Multilevel governance, National politics, Political behaviour, Political organisations and institutions, Political theory and methodology, Public administration, Other political science

Project type:Collaboration project