Queering Iceland

“Theoretically advanced and methodically inventive, Queering Iceland offers a broad yet impressively analysed picture of the Icelandic LGBTQ movements over two crucial decades. The relevance of Iceland’s transnationally inspired queer activism during this period extends far beyond its borders and will inform readers everywhere about the conditions of human rights struggles. The book serves both as a worthy monument to the brave activists and as a key to understanding the dynamics of change.”
—Jens Rydström, Professor Emeritus, Lund University, Sweden

“Highly exciting and theoretically well-grounded viewpoints on the formation of Icelandic gay and lesbian activism! This book offers new queer historical perspectives to Nordic LGBTIQ+ movement from the angles of space and pedagogy.”
—Jukka Lehtonen, Adjunct Professor, University of Helsinki, Finland

This book provides a historical and contemporary analysis of queer activism in Iceland, and its historical, political, and cultural context. Starting with the Samtökin 78, the first gay and lesbian organization in Iceland, and progressing through the year 2000, the authors present the gay liberation movement as an assemblage of diverse and interconnected elements—a framework which transcends identity politics and teleological narratives. Ultimately, Queering Iceland shows how queer activism functions as both public pedagogy, focused on education, and as queer heterotopic space. Using the Icelandic context as a case study, this book gives a nuanced analysis of queer activism in Nordic culture that will be of interest in gender studies, cultural studies, sociology, and modern history.

Jón Ingvar Kjaran is Professor of queer pedagogy and sociology of education at the University of Iceland, School of Education/Faculty of Diversity and Education.



Mohammad Naeimi is a lecturer and researcher in gender, politics, and education at the University of Iceland, School of Education/Faculty of Diversity and Education.


Þorvaldur Kristinsson is an independent scholar, a longtime queer activist and former chair of Samtökin ´78, the national queer organization of Iceland.