Die Emanzipation sexueller Differenz und homophober Populismus im post- jugoslawischen Raum
Emancipation of Sexual Difference and Homophobic Populism in the Post-Yugoslav Space

Findings from a Mixed Methods Study

Summary/Abstract: This mixed methods study examines context factors, mechanisms and outcomes of sexual difference in two post-Yugoslav societies after the outburst of the 2008 financial crisis and the implementation of anti-discrimination bills (2008/2009) in Croatia and Serbia. The European Values Survey (EVS 2008) documented the high degree of homophobic attitudes in post-Yugoslav societies. Banned pride parades in Belgrade (2011-2013), right-wing hate speech and violence in Belgrade and Split (2010/2011), as well as the Croatian referendum on constitutional protection of heterosexual marriage are illustrating events of homophobic outbursts. The analysis indicates that the Serbian context circulates rather around public visibility of sexual difference, whereas in Croatia legal-symbolic equality and recognition are more dominant. In both cases sexual difference is linked with pillars of pluralistic democracy and liberal-permissive multiculturalist tolerance. Sexual difference becomes a metaphor for the liberal-democratic transition of peripheral European societies. However, a prohibitive mechanism of closure including populist pro-life grassroots movements opposes “gender ideology” and “homosexual propaganda” thereby clashing with liberal-secular concepts, like pluralism and anti-discrimination. In both countries only partial concessions for sexual difference are granted in the sphere of public visibility (Serbia) and same-sex partnerships (Croatia) due to the successful resistance of homophobic populism.

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