Narrative, Identity, and the Politics of Exclusion: Social Change and the Gay and Lesbian Life Course

Hammack, Phillip L.; Cohler, Bertram J.

doi:10.1007/s13178-011-0060-3

Cited by 118 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Lastly, these two narratives also offer an opportunity to deconstruct more broadly the politics of storytelling (Hammack and Cohler 2011, Hammack 2011, Jackson 2013) that frames refugee determination procedure. What happens to asylum seeking men who contest/resist the 'genuine refugee' narrative in the context of asylum hearings?…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘If I Die here, I’m a Hero!’ On Masculinity and Vulnerability Among Male Asylum Seekers

Palillo

2018

JEA

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For asylum seekers, masculinity is often a site of conflict, negotiated through competing discourses and public narratives about what it means to be an asylum seeker. Here, the male 'genuine refugee' is often depicted as a feminised, passive victim who 'deserves' humanitarian protection on the base of his vulnerability. Focusing on the crossing of the desert to Libya, this article analyses asylum seekers' positioning of themselves as 'men' through their own narratives as well as the ways in which they engage with vulnerability, victimhood and agency in their storytelling. In particular, the focus lies on two cases, of Hakeem and David, selected from within 36 life history interviews with asylum seekers, refugees, and international protection holders collected in Sicily. For these men, the refugee journey is narrated as an accomplishment not only in terms of receiving asylum, but also in terms of their masculinity, exalting qualities such as endurance, courage, and competence. Two images, of the soldier and the hero, are presented as imaginary positioning of the self. This positioning appears to resolve performative tensions around masculinity/refugeeness, contesting the dominant image of the passive, feminized, helpless subject at the heart of 'the genuine refugee' public narrative. This might also be read as a strategy to reconcile profound questions about identity, the self, and experiences related to trauma and the loss of masculine status in the context of forced migration.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

‘If I Die here, I’m a Hero!’ On Masculinity and Vulnerability Among Male Asylum Seekers

Palillo

2018

JEA

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“…At the same time, many youth continue to construct life stories in which their sense of sexual desire and identity is a source of shame -a legacy of the sickness script that remains accessible to contemporary youth . Many youth are also engaging with a species narrative as a form of empowerment and community-building; they see a gay or lesbian identity as a central part of who they are (Hammack & Cohler, 2011;Russell, Clarke, & Clary, 2009). Thus, the lives of contemporary same-sex-attracted youth can only be understood in relation to these several discourses on the nature and meaning of desire.…”

Section: Conclusion: Historicising Psychological Theory and Methods Thmentioning

confidence: 99%

Narrative, psychology and the politics of sexual identity in the United States: from ‘sickness’ to ‘species’ to ‘subject’

Hammack

Mayers

Windell

2013

Psychology & Sexuality

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Since early legal, medical and scientific discussions of homosexuality, the discipline of psychology has assumed an instrumental role in both maintaining and challenging cultural and political perspectives on same-sex desire, identity and behaviour. This article presents a critical historical review of psychological research on same-sex desire in the United States, with a focus on the way in which studies reflect three master narratives on the nature and meaning of same-sex attraction: (1) a sickness script that dominated the majority of research from the late 1800s to the 1970s; (2) a species script that became popular with the removal of homosexuality as a diagnosable mental illness in 1973 and initiated several new lines of research; and (3) a subject script inspired by scholarly and cultural shifts beginning in the 1990s that challenged the taxonomy of sexual identity. We conclude with a discussion of the transformative potential of a narrative approach that integrates analysis of historical forces and individual psychological development.

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“…Furthermore, Hammack and Cohler (2011) highlight the importance of social and historical shifts in meanings of same-sex desires, which have much to do with the meanings of same-sex relationships for same-sex couples. The fact that marriage rights are even being discussed on the political and legal policy stages is a significant advancement in the sociohistorical context surrounding same-sex relationships in the USA and worldwide.…”

Section: Narrative Research and Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fact that marriage rights are even being discussed on the political and legal policy stages is a significant advancement in the sociohistorical context surrounding same-sex relationships in the USA and worldwide. Hammack and Cohler (2011) point out through various life study projects that historicity matters in meanings of same-sex intimacies. Narratives of contemporary LGB youth illustrate strivings for marriage and relationships, and even families, goals that would have been uncommon among LGB individuals who came of age in the 1960s, 1970s, or even 1980s (Hammack and Cohler 2011).…”

Section: Narrative Research and Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Hammack and Cohler (2011) point out through various life study projects that historicity matters in meanings of same-sex intimacies. Narratives of contemporary LGB youth illustrate strivings for marriage and relationships, and even families, goals that would have been uncommon among LGB individuals who came of age in the 1960s, 1970s, or even 1980s (Hammack and Cohler 2011). Hammack and Cohler's analysis reveals how current improvements in the social and legal treatment of sexual minorities allow for and are related to increased expression of sexual minority identities.…”

Section: Narrative Research and Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

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A Search for Meaning: Recognizing the Potential of Narrative Research in Social Policy-Making Efforts

Frost

Ouellette

2011

Sex Res Soc Policy

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In recent decades, narrative research has gained increasing prominence in social and health sciences. However, the role that narrative research has played in social policy-making efforts has been small compared to that of quantitative research. This paper highlights the ways in which theoretical stances, questions, methods, and findings from narrative research can be useful in social policy-making arenas. Particular attention is paid to research conducted in the narrative study of lives tradition in psychology, gerontology, and related social sciences. Narrative research that seeks to understand individual lives in all their complexity and in the contexts in which they are lived can be particularly useful in informing sexuality-related policy concerns given the complex nature of sexuality. By focusing on the current policy concern of same-sex relationship recognition, this paper demonstrates that (a) narrative research offers much to the study of social policy and social justice via its ability to illuminate the complex interplay between everyday lived experience and social structures and (b) there is a need to redefine what counts as research evidence in policy-making efforts to be more inclusive of narrative work. In making these arguments, examples of recent narrative research are highlighted regarding their direct relevance to sexuality-related social policy. The paper concludes with suggestions by which researchers and policy makers can productively incorporate narrative research into their work by focusing on the complimentary potential for findings from quantitative and narrative research.

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Narrative, Identity, and the Politics of Exclusion: Social Change and the Gay and Lesbian Life Course

Cited by 118 publications

References 69 publications

‘If I Die here, I’m a Hero!’ On Masculinity and Vulnerability Among Male Asylum Seekers

‘If I Die here, I’m a Hero!’ On Masculinity and Vulnerability Among Male Asylum Seekers

Narrative, psychology and the politics of sexual identity in the United States: from ‘sickness’ to ‘species’ to ‘subject’

A Search for Meaning: Recognizing the Potential of Narrative Research in Social Policy-Making Efforts

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