This talk is part of the Berlin Anthropology Seminars, which are co-organized by Claudia Liebelt (Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology), Kai Kresse (Leibniz Zentrum Moderner Orient)and Paola Ivanov (Ethnologisches Museum Berlin). It intends to shape and cultivate an inclusive platform and open regular meeting point for exchange and discussion on current research by Berlin-based anthropologists. Please spread the word among colleagues, junior or senior, who may be interested. 
For further questions contact Carolin Gantz Vargas, c.gantz.vargas@fu-berlin.de

The events will take place in a hybrid format.

WebEx-meeting link: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin/j.php?MTID=m17f1ed284085e3ad247db1626ac2ca67

This study investigates the state-perpetuated violence and oppression experienced by LGBTQI+ subjects within the Azerbaijani military. Utilizing a transnational queer-feminist framework, the study draws on long-term ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Baku between May 2021 and July 2022. It examines the narratives of LGBTQI+ research participants, who have served, attempted to serve, or worked in the military, highlighting how mandatory conscription serves as a tool of state oppression in an authoritarian regime. The research reveals that queers are often labelled as ‘mentally ill’ and discharged or excluded from military service upon the discovery of their queerness. The study also underscores the intersections of oppression, noting that factors such as class and military rank exacerbate the marginalization of lower-ranking and working-class queer soldiers. Despite the hostile environment, the article explores acts of everyday resistance among queer soldiers, who form covert networks and relationships to survive and navigate the military system. The hierarchical nature of the military allows higher-ranking officers to exploit their positions, often escaping repercussions for similar behaviours that result in the punishment of lower-ranking queers. Concluding that state violence significantly influences the lives and choices of queers regarding military service, the article calls for the abolition of discriminatory practices and the implementation of inclusive, non-discriminatory policies within the military. This study contributes to broader debates in queer theory and aims to reshape discussions on gender and sexuality in post-Soviet authoritarian contexts.