Homosexualities, Muslim Cultures and Modernity (Palgrave Politics of Identity and Citizenship Series)

Contents ix 7 Beginnings 137 Introduction 137 The homocolonialist 'test' for internationalized Western queer politics and consciousness 138 Homocolonialism in multiculturalism 144 Embracing Western exceptionalism through homocolonialism: challenges for Muslim consciousness and politics 149 The past and future imperfect, tense 154 Appendices 156 Notes 189 Bibliography 213 Index 228 10.1057/9781137002969 -Homosexualities, Muslim Cultures and Modernity, Momin Rahman Copyright material from www.palgraveconnect.com -licensed to Bibliotheque de l'Universite Laval -PalgraveConnect -2015-10-05x Many people help with the process of writing a book by discussing the ideas and themes in various circumstances and over varying time periods. I have been giving talks on some of these chapters for a few years now and I am grateful for the feedback and criticism those presentations have produced. Colleagues in Sociology, Women's Studies and International Development Studies have invited me to do talks at 'small but mighty' Trent University where we all ply our trade and their interactions are particularly welcome. I have also received much support from colleagues in the queer caucus of the International Studies Association, which is similarly small and equally mighty in the range of research, activism and argument that it contains, all of which have impacted upon how this project has developed. I have also benefited from more direct and sustained discussions with the following; Mike Cover 1 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction 12 The conceits of modernity and modernization 13 Muslim homo-eroticism in historical and contemporary context 15 Political possibilities 17 1 In Search of My Mother's Garden: Reflections on Migration, Gender, Sexuality and Muslim Identity 20 Introduction 20 History, narratives and narrators 21 Migration 24 Identities 26 Gender 28 My mother's garden 32 Not quite Muslim, not quite gay, towards a queer intersectionality 35 2 Islam versus Homosexuality as Modernity 38 Introduction 38 The drumbeats of Islamic 'otherness' 40 Democracy as Western exceptionalism 45 Equality and secularism versus multiculturalism in the context of gender 48 Sexual diversity as the marker of Islamic otherness? 53 The conceits of the West and the resistance of the East 58 3 Problematic Modernization: The Extent and Formation of Muslim Antipathy to Homosexuality 60 Introduction 60 Muslim regulation of homosexuality at the national and international level 62 The attitudes of Muslim majority and minority populations 67 Explaining Muslim antipathy through the modernization thesis 70 The complexities of modernization and reactions to homosexuality 73 Understanding Muslim homophobia in the contexts of modernity and Islamophobia 77 4 Traditions and Transformations of Muslim Homo-eroticism 81 Introduction 81 Homo-eroticism in traditional Muslim cultures 83 The transformation of Muslim homo-eroticism through the 'Gay International' 89 Modernity misunderstood? Colonialism, post-colonial cultures and the regulation of the sexual 93 Connected histories: the wider sociological basis of homosexualization during modernity 99 Homosexualization beyond westernization and the politics of Muslim identity 103 5 Queer Muslims in the Context of Contemporary Globalized LGBTIQ Identity 105 Introduction 105 The world 'they' have won 106 Connected contemporary histories: queer Muslims in Muslim majority cultures 113 Connected contemporary histories: queer Muslims in the West 119 From connected histories to queer Muslims as modern intersectional subjects 122 Towards an intersectional modernity? 126 6 The Politics of Identity and the Ends of Liberation 129 Introduction 129 The triangulation of Western exceptionalism: homocolonialism, Muslim homophobia and monoculturalism 130 The political presumptions of homocolonialism: 'coming out' and the essential context of political identity 136 Beyond homocolonialism: the ends of liberation and equality as resource 141 Arriving at the terrain of dialogue and recognizing queer as privilege 146 7 Beginnings 148 Introduction 148 The homocolonialist 'test' for internationalized Western queer politics and consciousness 149 Homocolonialism in multiculturalism 155 Embracing Western exceptionalism through homocolonialism: challenges for Muslim consciousness and politics 160 The past and future imperfect, tense 165 Appendices 167 Notes 200 Bibliography 224 Index 239 This book addresses the increasing role of queer politics within forms of Islamophobia, both by exploring the framing of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues as a key marker of western superiority and by identifying the ways in which Muslim homophobia contributes to this dialectic. No one can doubt that Muslim cultures and Muslim populations are under intense scrutiny in the west and worldwide. Moreover, queer politics has been increasingly drawn into this contemporary Islamophobia. This book presents a detailed interdisciplinary study of the issues surrounding homosexuality and Muslim cultures, drawing on sociological theories of modernity and modernization, evidence of Muslim homo-eroticism in historical and contemporary context, and contemporary political ideas of queer politics, multiculturalism and international development. The book presents an original theoretical framework that describes the ways in which both queer and Muslim politics are caught up in a process of triangulation that asserts the superiority of western civilization. Using an intersectional framework, it also begins to map a way out of this oppositional understanding of homosexuality and Islam, both by drawing on the evidence of the complexity of lived experience for Queer Muslims and by challenging the euro-centric conceits of queer political and social theory "Momin's book is one of the best analysis of homosexuality and modern Muslim identity to appear recently. While the book is an in depth look at the current debates about Muslims and modernity, its theoretical tools are fundamental to understanding the complex notion of modernity. It reminded me of Timothy Mitchel's The Colonization of Egypt. Momin's book is a comprehensive work, exhaustively researched, judicious in its assessment and sets forth a theoretical model that will alter the way we understand Muslim modernity. An outstanding work. Its implications go to the heart of the debate about what modernity means." - Walid Saleh, Professor of Islamic Studies, University of Toronto, Canada "This book navigates deftly through the fraught relationship of Islam and homosexuality, pulling apart the quick equation of the West with the modern liberal embrace of gay rights and Islam with the opposite. Offering both personal and theoretical reflections, this is the landmark study that sets the standard for scholarship on the nexus between gay and Muslim." - Barry Adam, Professor of Sociology, University of Windsor, Canada 1. In Search Of My Mother's Garden: Reflections On Migration, Gender, Sexuality And Muslim Identity -- 2. Islam Versus Homosexuality As Modernity -- 3. Problematic Modernization: The Extent And Formation Of Muslim Antipathy To Homosexuality -- 4.traditions And Transformations Of Muslim Homoeroticism -- 5. Queer Muslims In The Context Of Contemporary Globalized Lgbtiq Identity -- 6. The Politics Of Identity And The Ends Of Liberation -- 7. Beginnings. Momin Rahman. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 213-227) And Index.