Putting queer to work: examining empire and education

Abstract

Using Stuart Hall’s concept of articulation, which sutures seemingly incongruent analytics, this article juxtaposes queer theorizing and postcolonial projects in order to contribute to the examinations of empire, education and decolonization. It foregrounds the queer approaches of working within, through and beyond the framework of sexuality to investigate the themes of exclusion, normalization, and subject position and agency. It offers a review of the scholarly literature in queer, postcolonial and education studies, and engages the author’s initial research formulations on Filipino/a schooling and United States imperialism in the early twentieth century. By interrogating and bringing together theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and political movements, the article aims to open discursive and structural spaces for revolutionary solidarities and interventions.

Acknowledgments

The author’s gratitude goes to Patti Lather and Thomas Piontek for reading the initial versions and encouraging him to turn the challenge of juxtaposing queer and postcolonial projects as a rich possibility for scholarly and political interventions. He appreciates the insightful comments of Stephanie Lynn Daza, Martin Joe Ponce, and Binaya Subedi who pushed his thinking and encouraged him to remain courageous. Lastly, the author is very grateful for the thorough and critical feedback provided by Jeong‐eun Rhee and Sharon Subreenduth who helped him clarify his arguments and, consequently, improve the content and form of this article.