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Across the world, LGBTI+ rights are increasingly shaped by global political and institutional forces that extend far beyond national borders. Debates about equality, inclusion, and protection are often framed as domestic cultural or legal issues. However they are deeply embedded in the structures of global governance and multilateral cooperation.
This course introduces the historical foundations of global institutions and their role in shaping the trajectory of human rights, including LGBTI+ rights. As outlined in the report, the modern international system emerged in response to the catastrophic failures of two world wars. The creation of institutions such as the United Nations reflected a collective attempt to prevent conflict, coordinate global action, and establish shared norms of dignity and justice.
Rather than viewing these institutions as neutral or static, this course explores them as political spaces shaped by power, interests, and competing ideas about sovereignty and rights. LGBTI+ inclusion within these systems has not been automatic or linear. Instead, it has developed through long-term struggles over recognition, legitimacy, and interpretation of universal human rights.
To understand this complexity, the course introduces three key theoretical frameworks: realism, institutionalism, and constructivism. These perspectives help explain how states interact within global systems, why cooperation emerges or breaks down, and how norms such as equality and non-discrimination are constructed and contested over time. They also help unpack why support for LGBTI+ rights can expand in some political contexts while contracting in others.
This course is designed for activists and advocates working in an increasingly uncertain global environment. It moves beyond institutional description to provide analytical tools for understanding how global governance actually functions in practice. By tracing the origins of multilateralism and the evolution of human rights systems, participants will gain a clearer understanding of the structures that shape their advocacy space today.
Ultimately, this course argues that global institutions are not simply arenas for progress or protection. They are contested political systems in which rights are continuously negotiated. Understanding this is essential for any strategy aimed at defending and advancing LGBTI+ rights in a rapidly changing world.