Queerness—What Would the Queers Do? Analytical Concepts, Fluidity, and the Potential of Queer Semantic Fields for Global History

Abstract

In this essay, Sébastien Tremblay explores the potential of queerness as an analytical concept in the context of writing a global history of sexualities. It acknowledges the shift towards transnational and global perspectives in queer history, challenging Eurocentric concepts and promoting inclusivity of diverse sexual identities and experiences. Debuting his inquiry and analysis in Germany, Tremblay highlights the methodological inquiries arising from researching sexual entanglements without relying on fixed categories of analysis. He discusses how queer theory's focus on fluidity and ambiguity can aid historians in avoiding rigid concepts, historical norms, and eventually colonial biases. He therefore concludes by emphasising the importance of engaging with fluid concepts such as queerness in writing an open global history critical of Eurocentrism.