Decolonizing Queer Migration

Moira Dustin is Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Sussex.Nuno Ferreira is Professor of Law at the University of Sussex. Kamran Matin is Reader in International Relations at the University of Sussex.Mehran Rezaei-Toroghi was Research Fellow in the School of Law, Politics, and Sociology at the University of Sussex (2022–2023).Isabel Soloaga is a documentary filmmaker, impact producer, and communications strategist.

‘By assembling context-specific empirical material from Iran and the Iranian diaspora, this volume contributes to broader scholarly debates on the formation of queer identities. Traversing geographical and conceptual borders in relation to identity, the authors foreground a central analytical tension: claims to universal identity categories are continually reshaped and unsettled by the specificities of history and culture, and by the situated conditions of time and place. This approach contributes to a more nuanced understanding of gender and sexuality in cross-cultural contexts and points toward the possibility of a more humane and diverse world.’ Graeme Reid, UN Independent Expert on Protection Against Violence and Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity ‘A multivocal, participatory account of queer Iranian exile, this beautifully executed book decolonizes migration scholarship through poetry, law, and lived experience. It reimagines queer migration research as collaboration, centring storytelling, activism, and care alongside a sharp critique of asylum systems.’ Phillip Ayoub, University College London 'A courageous, multi-vocal, decolonial contribution centering queer Iranian lives in exile, foregrounding lived experience, creativity, and structural violence with striking clarity.’ Jasmin Lilian Diab, Lebanese American University ‘This groundbreaking book offers vital theoretical and methodological tools for addressing the multivocal lives of queer Iranians in exile.’ Eithne Luibhéid, University of Arizona‘This is an important and novel contribution to the field of queer migration and beyond. It sheds light on the underexamined experiences of queer Iranians, while also challenging queer migration research.’ Sarah Scuzzarello, University of Sussex

• 1. Escaping Iran2. Reframing Queerness: The International Formation of Queer Identity in Iran3. From the Amrad to ‘The Gay’: The Making of Queer Identity in Iran4. Methodology and Ethical Issues5. Language, Queer Vocabularies, and Self-Identification6. External Factors Shaping Queer Iranians’ Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and Migration Decisions7. Drawn Into a Legal Web8. Conclusion