| Summary/Abstract |
Gay men in Kunming, China use collusive infrapolitics to foster and sustain LGBT communities under the premise of HIV/AIDS prevention. Collusive infrapolitics is the building of collaborative relationships between non-state actors and governing agencies to tacitly agree on publicly acceptable political projects, while leaving vague other deviating activities. Men who have Sex with Men HIV Community Based Organizations cooperate with the state around HIV/AIDS prevention and can then build collusive relationships with low level government cadres, who then ignore gay social activities and help to insulate LGBT organizations from political pressure. As the Chinese political environment becomes more restrictive of LGBT organizing, collusive infrapolitics provides an important theoretical explanation for how non-state actors can engage politically around sensitive topics.
|