Advocacy Coalitions, Issue Salience, and State Responses to Homophobia and Transphobia in Poland

Abstract

Despite media attention on its illiberal and anti-gender politics, Poland distinguishes itself within Europe by offering advanced training to law enforcement officers in the policing of hate crimes. The paper delves into this paradox by examining the recognition of gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation in hate crime policing and monitoring, despite the absence of criminal laws against misogynistic, homophobic, or transphobic hate speech and crimes. The comparative analysis of the policymaking process's inputs and outputs reveals both the factors that facilitated the integration of the international hate crime concept into law enforcement and criminal justice policies, and those that hindered the enactment of criminal legislation against misogyny, homophobia and transphobia. Enablers include criticism over failure to combat racism and extremism; opportunities presented by planning for an international mega-event; capacity-building opportunities provided by international bodies; and framing changes in policy and practice as technical improvements in line with existing policy directions. Obstacles encompass the politicisation of women’s and LGBT rights, the rise of the anti-gender movement, as well as suboptimal framing and positioning of hate crime vis a vis other elements of LGBT advocacy. The findings, drawn from documentary research and expert interviews, are analysed using policy learning frameworks, with a focus on advocacy coalitions and issue salience. This paper situates Poland within the broader regional context of Europe, providing a nuanced perspective on the complex impact of “anti-genderism” on crime policymaking and law enforcement practices.
 

Biography

Dr Piotr Godzisz is an associate professor in criminology at the University of Leicester and co-director of the Centre for Hate Studies. His research interests encompass various aspects of human rights, discrimination, and violence, with a special focus on hate crime. Dr Godzisz has published widely in these areas and participates in academic and policy-making forums. His work aims to inform policies and practices to address hate crimes and support marginalised communities. Additionally, he is a scientific collaborator at AGS, where he previously implemented a two-year Marie Skłodowska-Curie individual fellowship. His recent work examines the evolving state responses to anti-LGBT violence amidst the rise of anti-gender mobilisation. This research aims to understand the effectiveness of these responses and the impact of socio-political changes on the protection and rights of minoritised communities.