Dr Joseph O’Mahoney had a launch at SOAS for the book he has co-written with Dr Enze Han (University of Hong Kong) ‘British Colonialism and Criminalization of Homosexuality’.
This book provides historical evidence to demonstrate the different ways in which the British Empire spread laws criminalizing homosexual conduct amongst its colonies. Evidence includes case studies of former British colonies and the common law and criminal codes like the Indian Penal Code of 1860 and the Queensland Criminal Code of 1899. Surveying a wide range of countries, the book scrutinises whether ex-British colonies are more likely to have laws that criminalize homosexual conduct than other ex-colonies or other states in general. It interrogate the claim that British imperialism uniquely ‘poisoned’ societies against homosexuality, and look at the legacies of colonialism and the politics and legal status of homosexuality across the globe.