Valentina Massone

Primary research areas

Valentina Massone’ research sets out to explore humanitarianism in the contested field lying between forced migration and transnational queer activism. The broad aim is to reflect theoretically on the prospects for “good-doing” in an increasingly interconnected, yet extensively bordered world.

Current research

“Queer to queer humanitarianism: Identity, activism and transnational benevolence among LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers in Italy and Denmark”

The PhD project focuses on the particular forms of organized solidarity practiced by LGBT+ civil society organizations catering to the vulnerabilities of queer asylum seekers in Denmark and Italy. It explores the way in which queer refugees use their life experiences to navigate different contexts, make sense of LGBT+ categories and produce ad-hoc forms of solidarity. It also questions how different contexts affect the priorities and the strategy of each organisation, the degree of refugee participation, as well as each CSO’s relationship with local and international protection systems. Ultimately, I seek to offer new insights on the role of ordinary people in humanitarian action and reflect on the practices, ethics, and politics of contemporary benevolence.