What's Queer About Political Science?

Research Highlights and AbstractThe study of gender, sexuality—and, in particular, queer theory—is central to the social sciences and humanities.Our analysis of citation practices shows that queer theorist Judith Butler is one of the most cited social theorists of all time.Yet political science remains distinctly untroubled by queer theory, and gender and sexuality are frequently treated as marginal (not central) concerns.We argue that queer theory has much to offer political science, not only by highlighting the importance of sexuality and the body but also in analysing ‘power’ and in politicising ‘the political’ itself.We suggest that the ‘queering’ of political science is long overdue, not least through politicising processes of knowledge-production in the discipline.There is something queer (by which we mean strange) going on in the scholarly practice of political science. Why are political science scholars continuing to disregard issues of gender and sexuality—and in particular queer theory—in their ...