What Mugabe Said: Homosexuality in Africa and the Problem of Context

Mgr. Roelof Stephanus du Plessis, B.A.

Master's thesis

Abstract:

African heads of state have a mutual penchant for claiming that homosexuality is un-African. Whilst it has become increasingly popular in Africa to claim that homosexuality is a Western export, there is a worrying lack of specificity when making these claims. ‘Homosexuality’, in particular, is often understood and applied unreflectively and without context when addressing same-sex practices in Africa. Moreover, all same-sex practices and desires are understood and articulated qua ‘homosexuality’. Whilst homosexuality may act as a convenient marker, it, nevertheless, often misrepresents and limits the nuances of same-sex experiences. This thesis upends this commonplace yet unreflective use of homosexuality by both those for and against the claim that homosexuality is un-African. Homosexuality is not just a behavioural fact. It is interpreted and given meaning. Particular attention is consequently also paid to how and why this particular descriptive term has come to be used in the context of Africa. This thesis therefore both examines and problematizes the use of ‘homosexuality’ as a means of articulating same-sex practices in Africa. This is done to enables a more comprehensive understanding of a claim in desperate need of clarification.

Keywords

Homosexuality, Africa, Homophobia.

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 12. 5. 2014

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 10. 6. 2014
• Supervisor: doc. Bernadette Nadya Jaworsky, Ph.D.
• Reader: Dr. Werner Binder

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
Sociology / Sociology (Eng.)