Case study of IGLYO negotiating queer

Abstract: The potential tension between being a pan-European umbrella organisation and engaging in queer politics was the starting point of this thesis that investigates the implications that the concept and practice of queer has within IGLYO (International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Youth and Student Organisation). My interpretations are informed by aspects of Queer theory and social movement theories. The qualitative case study follows a multi-method design and is based on empirical material that consists of 1 focus group interview and 8 semi-structured individual interviews with representatives of IGLYO member organisations and participant observation at IGLYO’s General Assembly 2013. I found that queer is generally manifested in alternative forms of event proceedings and ways or organising. On the other hand, there were various ways IGLYO failed to live up to queer ideas or consciously chose to distance themselves from the queer approach. The study finds that IGLYO undertakes various balancing acts in order to negotiate queer within the cultural and financial constraints of European institutions. The contradictory political impulses within the organisation gave way to various strategic compromises such as “doing it all” by combining identity politics with a queer approach.