Research project
Tales of Sexuality and Faith: The Ugandan LGBT Refugee Life Story Project
- Start date: 1 April 2019
- End date: 30 November 2021
- Funder: British Academy
- Primary investigator: Professor Adriaan van Klinken
- Co-investigators: Johanna Stiebert
Value
£10,000
Partners and collaborators
The Nature Network, Nairobi
Description
Sacred Queer Stories is a research project exploring the intersections of bible stories and the life stories of Ugandan LGBTI refugees. More specifically, it examines the potential of reclaiming the Bible and using it to signify the queer lives of LGBTI refugees in East Africa.
The rationale for the project is two-fold. First, autobiographical storytelling is an important and empowering method for members of marginalised communities to overcome their silencing in society and claim a space to make themselves heard. It also builds on long-standing traditions of storytelling in African cultures. Second, the Bible is an authoritative religious text and a popular cultural archive in contemporary Africa. As much as the Bible serves to reinforce existing power structures and social inequalities, it can also be used for purposes of community empowerment and social transformation.