Queer linguistic imperialism: typological and linguistic obstructions to the emancipation of sexual orientation and gender identity minorities in postcolonial Pakistan

Chester, J, 2025. Queer linguistic imperialism: typological and linguistic obstructions to the emancipation of sexual orientation and gender identity minorities in postcolonial Pakistan. PhD, Nottingham Trent University.

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Abstract

This thesis examines the role of (post)colonial language practices as mechanisms of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression (SOGIE) marginalisation in contemporary Pakistan. Primarily, this qualitative research investigates the English language colonial construction of SOGIE identity and analyses the postcolonial legacy of the SOGIE colonial episteme as it is replicated through the maintenance of the English language in contemporary Pakistan. Notably, this research contributes to the existing knowledge of the intersection between the colonial empire and SOGIE identity by conducting an empirical archival study which extensively studies the epistemological construction of colonial identity terminology. Furthermore, I present Queer Linguistic Imperialism, a theoretical framework of my design that analyses the construction, naturalisation, and maintenance of colonial identity terminology within (post)colonial discourses. The originality of Queer Linguistic Imperialism analyses how these instances of colonial language usage both produce and reproduce SOGIE marginality in postcolonial Pakistan.

From the data collected, this research concludes that the process of English language domination, which occurred through the British colonisation of South Asia, is a central mechanism to the contemporary marginalisation of SOGIE persons in Pakistan. Through the maintenance of English as the official language of Pakistan, there exists the lingual framework in which to reproduce colonial identity terminology, such as the endured usage of ‘eunuch’ as a descriptor of South Asian SOGIE identity. The continued discursive inclusion of colonial SOGIE terminology transmits the epistemological value attached to it and further normalises the colonial constructions of South Asian SOGIE identity. Therefore, the linguistic and typological obstructions to SOGIE emancipation in contemporary Pakistan are facilitated by the postcolonial inheritance of the English language and the SOGIE identity markers which communicate marginality.

Item Type:	Thesis
Description:	Abridged version
Creators:	Chester, J.
Contributors:	Name Role NTU ID ORCID Gorry, J. Thesis supervisor PAS3GORRYJ https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8258-1862 Krulišová, K. Thesis supervisor HLI3KRULIK https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8065-188X
Date:	March 2025
Rights:	The copyright in this work is held by the author. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed to the author.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jeremy Silvester
Date Added:	19 Dec 2025 14:06
Last Modified:	19 Dec 2025 14:06
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/54895

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