yes / There is something queer (by which we mean strange) going on in the scholarly practice of political science. Why are political science scholars continuing to disregard issues of gender and sexuality—and in particular queer theory—in their lecture theatres, seminar rooms, textbooks, and journal articles? Such everyday issues around common human experience are considered by other social scientists to be central to the practice and theory of social relations. In this article we discuss how these commonplace issues are being written out of (or, more accurately, have never been written in to) contemporary political science. First, we present and discuss our findings on citation practice in order to evidence the queerness of what does and does not get cited in political science scholarship. We then go on to critique this practice before suggesting a broader agenda for the analysis of the political based on a queer theoretical approach. / Full text was made available at the end of the publisher's embargo period: 20th Jan 2016

Limited knowledge is available around the experiences of queer Lebanese American young adults, specifically around family secrecy around their sexuality. This gap in the marriage and family therapy research has significant implications, and erases the experiences of queer Arab young adults around disclosure of their sexual identity. This study examined the experiences of 19 Lebanese American young adults navigating secrecy around their sexual identity. Research questions presented were the following: a) How do queer Lebanese American young adults experience family secrecy surrounding their sexual identity and relationship? b) How do queer Lebanese American young adults interpret the process of family secrecy and are impacted by family secrecy? c) What are queer Lebanese American young adults' experiences of shifts in boundaries and alliances as a result of family secrecy? The study utilized structural family therapy or SFT (Minuchin, 1974) as the theoretical framework to guide the conceptualization of family dynamics and how they are impacted by the family secrecy surrounding the participants' sexuality. Findings illustrated the complexity of the family secrecy process, which is fraught with complex emotions, which resulted in a decision-making process around who to include in the secret, who to keep out of the secrecy, as well as strategies employed to maintain the secrecy and protect the family members from the implications of disclosure. Participants described the process as stressful and signifying shame around their sexual identities, and feeling as though their two identities, Lebanese and queer, were conflicting and could not coexist together. Findings also demonstrated the family unit's resilience and collectivism through participants relying on their family members, particularly mothers and siblings, to navigate this complex landscape. The findings have research and clinical implications, emphasizing the need to extend the discourse around sexual identity and disclosure to include Lebanese and Middle Eastern families within the field of family science. / Doctor of Philosophy / Limited knowledge is available around the experiences of queer Lebanese American young adults, specifically around family secrecy surrounding their sexuality. Past studies have focused on the experience of queer White individuals disclosing to their families, but very little has been known about the experience of Middle Eastern and Arab queer youth. The purpose of this study was to experience the emotions and meaning made around the secrecy, as well as the secrecy's impact on the family relationships and structure. The research questions presented were a) How do queer Lebanese American young adults experience family secrecy surrounding their sexual identity and relationship? b) How do queer Lebanese American young adults interpret the process of family secrecy and are impacted by family secrecy? c) What are queer Lebanese American young adults' experiences of shifts in boundaries and alliances as a result of family secrecy? Based on an analysis of 19 interviews, structural family therapy was used as a theory to frame the findings and help understand the impact of secrecy on the family relationships and structure, as well as the meaning and emotion experienced as a result of the secrecy. Overall, analysis revealed several key findings. The experience of disclosure and secrecy around sexuality is highly relational, in order to remain connected to their families. The experience of secrecy is not "all good" or "all bad". Strategies around secrecy were adopted by both queer Arab young adults and their families, and mothers or mother figures in particular played a crucial role in dictating the way secrecy was navigated, who was included in the secrecy process, as well as co-creating strategies with queer young adults on how to deal with extended family. This study has important clinical and research implications, in continuing to expand the conversation around disclosure and queerness, as well as amplifying the voices of Lebanese American young adults and their families.

The growth of Queer Sociology has produced a body of research focused on LGBTQ identity formation, while less has been discovered about subsets of this community, including later-life lesbians who were previously partnered in long-term heterosexual relationships with cisgender men. Several theories, including the Cass Theory of Sexual Orientation Identity Formation and Fassinger's Theory, provide a model which LGBTQ people may progress through as they develop their sexual orientation identity. These models provide insight towards the development of a lesbian identification later in life. Through sixteen in-depth interviews with lesbians in the United States who did not identify as lesbian until after age thirty-five, I examine the social barriers that impact these women's identity formation processes, and examine how sexual orientation identity development theories help us understand this process. My findings reveal that heteronormativity, compulsory heterosexuality, lack of representation, gendered expectations, and the pursuit of success all acted as societal barriers that delayed these women in their sexual orientation identity development. Thus, we see that Cass' recognition of the importance of the sociocultural environment is vital. However, the theory's commitment to linearity is still questionable, and her theory may not provide enough flexibility for the fluidity of sexual orientation. Alternatively, Fassinger's theory provides more space for sexual orientation to exist as a process of continuous development. / Master of Science / The field of Sociology expanded to research LGBTQ experiences and identities in the 1980's and 90's, forming the study of Queer Sociology. Since this formation, smaller subsets of the community have yet to be explored. This includes women who came to a lesbian identification later in life (after the age of thirty-five) who were previously partnered in long-term heterosexual relationships with cisgender men. These women are known as later life lesbians. Within the field of Queer Sociology, several theories have been developed to provide a process which LGBTQ people may progress through as they develop their sexual orientation identity. This includes the Cass Theory of Sexual Orientation Identity Formation and Fassinger's Theory. These models can be used to provide insight into the sexual orientation identity development of later life lesbians. Through sixteen interviews with later life lesbians, I examine the social factors that impact these women's sexual identity formation processes, and examine how sexual orientation identity development theories help us understand this process. My findings reveal that the societal expectation of heterosexuality, lack of queer representation, gendered expectations, and the pursuit of success all acted as societal barriers that delayed these women in their sexual orientation identity development. Based on these social factors, we see that Cass' recognition of the importance of the social and cultural environment is vital. However, Cass also commits to a linear development of sexual orientation identity, which remains questionable. Additionally, her theory may not provide enough flexibility for the fluidity of sexual orientation. Alternatively, Fassinger's theory provides more space for sexual orientation to exist as a process of continuous development.

Homelessness is a layered issue, not only limited to social justice, but also impacting architectural and urban planning concerns. Treated as an identity rather than a temporary condition, many cities fail to address the complex variety of external factors which contribute to homelessness. The result often being budget-driven shelters congregated in already resource deficient, low income areas. The misconception that homelessness only happens in a city's poorest areas is rooted in prejudice and functions to only further prevent the same types of developments seen in more desirable neighborhoods. With a specific socioeconomic climate and disparity in Orlando, Florida, Parramore presents itself as an opportune place to provide a central downtown sanctuary that additionally will provide greater access to necessary services for the adjacent neighborhoods. A study of queer theory and ergonomics were an integral part of the design process. The former primarily concerned with the development of queer spaces from illicit "underground" safe havens of refuge built out of a necessity to exist freely in space (a precursor to present-day DIY culture) to now transparent, integrated queer spaces existing almost indifferently to the naked eye. The emergent idea being that together, the community campus is intended as an accessible series of places, rather than a singularly defined one / Master of Architecture / Homelessness is a social issue which affects everyone. There is a long history of intolerance towards the homeless which is evidenced by discriminatory policies that prevent the homeless from existing in the public and/or stress a homeless individual's ability to access the necessary services needed to escape homelessness. Current housing assistance for the homeless are often limited by inconsistent access to services (e.g. healthcare, counseling, job assistance, etc.), traditional living arrangements, availability, accessibility, and budget-driven designs. Additionally, the social stigma around homelessness is counterproductive to a critically vulnerable group of people's recovery and re-assimilation into society. Supporting the development and design exploration of services such as permanent supportive housing is beneficial because it is a model focused on embedding users into the community through thoughtful and holistic design. (i.e. a housing assistance service which places chronically homeless individuals into market-rate apartments or similar residential dwelling; usually centrally located and/or connected to necessary services). Another important aspect of this thesis is exploring non-traditional sites for such projects as it is equally as important for city's to reassess the opportunity to renew areas lost to discriminatory planning. This thesis references various ideas, philosophies, and design strategies borrowed from similar vulnerable groups to establish connections and create a roadmap for how the architectural intervention will be developed for the specific user group and site context. It is my hope that this optimistic reimagining of lost spaces as sites for supportive housing and community can help redefine what and who homelessness is and shed light on how services could like moving forward into the future.

HULL is a manuscript driven by bodily and imagined notions of witness that marry and complicate the historical and public with the personal and private. HULL is the buoyancy of a paradox; the un-shakable hyper corporeality of a body both Black and woman, and the social and spiritual liminality of Black womanhood. This collection is centered around a contemporary Black, queer, femme voice, and moves beyond the deeply familiar, beyond any implied monolith of definitive Blackness. These poems navigate memory, both experienced and inherited to chart moments of tenderness and brutality that people within the African Diaspora have experienced. / MFA

Religion, and in particular Christianity, is a salient part of American culture and informs policy decisions and family life. However, within the past two decades, emerging adults have become less likely to maintain a religious affiliation and attend religious services, suggesting a decline in the country's involvement with organized religious institutions. Non-heterosexual individuals are half as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to report a religious identity. The following study contextualizes these demographic findings and considers their potential impact on family life, and more specifically the interplay of religiosity with sexual identity development. Using a Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology, the current study presents data from eleven in- depth qualitative interviews with self-identified Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer (LGBQ) individuals between the ages of 20 and 25. Results are presented through three models. The first model illustrates the overlap of family and religious life, and their influence on sexual identity development. The second model depicts a three stage process through which participants made sense and meaning of the religious and familial discourses of their childhood: conflict, catalyst, and resolution. Particular attention is given to the final stage, resolution, and to the extraneous environmental factors that influenced how participants explained and made meaning of resolution. Finally, the third model described how participants constructed a LGBQ Christian identity, and how they perceive the acceptance of their identities by families and religious communities. This research contributes to existing literature by (a) examining the influence of a Christian upbringing on sexual identity development, (b) considering how individuals overcome conflict to integrate two seemingly exclusive identities, and (c) presenting how the adoption of a LGBQ Christian identity decenters heteronormativity and queers family relationships. / Master of Science

This study explores whether queer people wait longer than non-queer people to seek professional medical care in the wake of an illness or injury. Little scholarship has evaluated queer people's pursuit of palliative medical care. An online survey was distributed to Virginia Tech students aged 18-30 years old who have experienced an illness or injury in the last year that compromised their daily function. Using demographic data obtained about gender identity and sexuality, respondents were divided into "queer" (non-cisgender and/or non-heterosexuals) and "non-queer" (cisgender, heterosexuals) groups. The survey assessed the number of days between the onset of an illness or injury and the first attempt to schedule care. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences suggesting that, of the people who had received care in the last 12 months, queer people, on average, waited fewer days than non-queer people to attempt to schedule care. This does not include respondents who indicated that they did not receive care in the last 12 months. This may indicate that queer people forego seeking palliative care unless absolutely necessary. This study is informed by M. Reynolds's Health Power Resources theory, and demonstrates the importance of measuring not only the presence of behaviors but also the absence of relevant behaviors when applying this theory. Based on the results, this study calls for further research into both delays in care-seeking behavior and into healthcare avoidance among queer individuals. / Master of Science / If two different people catch an illness and one of them identifies as transgender or gay, but the other one identifies as straight and cisgender, which one of them will wait longer to see a doctor? Waiting longer to get healthcare can be dangerous and costly, and yet many people wait to get healthcare even when they get sick or injured. Queer people (those who do not identify as cisgender and heterosexual) have themselves reported experiencing a number of barriers to receiving healthcare in the United States. This study compares how long queer and non-queer people wait to seek healthcare after an illness or injury to see if these reported barriers to accessing healthcare contribute to a greater reluctance among queer people to pursue healthcare. This reluctance is measured as the number of days between the start of a person's medical ailment and their first attempt at scheduling or receiving professional care for said ailment. A survey was conducted of Virginia Tech students, all of whom experienced an illness or injury in the last 12 months that compromised their ability to perform daily tasks (such as attending classes or completing housework). The results indicated that, of the people who had received care in the last year, queer people, on average, waited fewer days than non-queer people to seek care. However; this dataset does not reflect the experiences of those who indicated that, despite getting sick or injured, they did not receive care in the last 12 months. This may suggest that queer people avoid getting professional help for an illness or injury unless absolutely necessary, instead waiting for injuries or illnesses to get better without professional care. Based on the results, more research is needed on both delays in care-seeking and on healthcare avoidance among queer individuals.

"Coming out" is a unique experience for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority individuals (LGB+), yet it remains ill-defined within scholarship and is individually focused. This study investigates how same-gender couples negotiate relationship visibility and what motivates them to come out to others. A queer theoretical framework was used to explore how partners do outness. To address the needs of the literature, constructivist grounded theory methods were employed in analyzing the data. These findings showed that the majority of couples believed they had a "mutual understanding" of the rules and boundaries in place for relational visibility. In addition, the ways in which different individuals felt compelled to come out or stay in was impacted by their connection to the historical context of the Gay Rights movement. Clinical implications to help clinicians between in assessment and conceptualization in their work with members of the population were determined. / Ph. D. / “Coming out” is a unique experience for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority individuals (LGB+), yet the motivations for why individuals may choose to come out are underexplored. In addition, what it means to come out varies. This study investigates how same-gender couples negotiate their relational visibility and what motivates them to come out to others. To represent the strong influence of history and the oppression faced by LGB+ individuals and communities, a queer theoretical framework was used to guide this study and attend to the influences of power and privilege. These findings showed that the majority of couples believed they had a “mutual understanding” of the rules and boundaries in place for relational visibility and shared motivations in coming out. Clinical implications to help mental health professionals better serve these individuals, couples, and families were determined.

Queer theory has a fundamental flaw: queer. This thesis seeks to explore the fractured usages, meanings, and scopes of the term queer to uncover the power structures that have been created within and around the term. Specifically, this thesis analyzes the ways in which academic queer theorists, the university system, and LGBTQ+ groups and activists, in an attempt to make the queer useful, perpetuate limiting definitions of the word queer that create power structures that re-marginalize some queer people. Queer, being a reclaimed slur, is sometimes used to describe members of the LGBTQ+ community. It has recently been adopted by a variety of groups to make the term politically useful. In doing so, the term has developed many, often conflicting, meanings. A term that means everything, however, has very little analytical use. Because of this, attempts to make the term queer useful to have unintended implications that re-marginalize some queer people. / Master of Arts / Recently (meaning within the past 20 to 30 years) the term queer has been used to describe a certain type of person and a certain type of thought. Stemming from the slur used against members of the LGBTQ+ community, the term queer has a variety of meanings. This work explores the history of the term queer and begins to untangle the various ways queer can be defined. This study of the word queer uncovers various power structures that surround the term. Specifically, this work discusses the way that certain definitions of the term queer and certain formations of queer thought limit and exclude individuals who use the term to describe themselves. This work focuses on three main areas: academia, undergraduate syllabi, and activism.

The Problems of Protest and the Persistence of Domination: Social Movement Theory and Bourdieu’s Economy of Practice is a normative intervention into social movement theory and debates about social movement goals, strategies and tactics. The project asks: what normative implications derive from incorporating Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological framework into social movement research? My core arguments are that Bourdieu’s framework has the potential to sensitize activists and analysts to the tension between conformity and failure and that escaping radical/reformist debates requires working through this tension. The dissertation intervenes in social movement theory from within the critical theory tradition by refusing to separate empirical and normative questions. I develop my argument using two strategies. First, I undertake a close reading of Bourdieu’s most important works and the debates they have provoked. Second I apply the conceptual tools this close reading offers to reconsider the logic behind two key social movement theory concepts: collective identity and repertoires of contention. Following a general introduction and literature review, I undertake a close consideration of habitus and an argument for how attention to the suffering produced by symbolic power constitutes grounds for normative justice claims. I then consider how collective identity formation in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer mobilization indicates the presence of symbolic violence, primarily in the form of epistemic violence. Next I argue that the nature of neoliberal symbolic power creates political antinomies for representation and affinity-based segments of the alterglobalization movement. Finally I argue that Bourdieu needs to be balanced by Nietzsche and that an orientation toward ‘overcoming’ offers a way out of the tension between conformity and failure. My findings point to the need for more sophisticated instruments for understanding the relationship between objective interests and subjective perception, impositions of, and challenges to, ‘logical consensus’, and strategies for counter-training and other mechanisms to support activists in resisting symbolic violence. / Thesis (Ph.D, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-29 14:14:16.699