Academic Centre
Diāna Lozko is a PhD student at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia, who also receives a scholarship from the K. Ozoliņš - Mednis Trust Fund of the University of Latvia. The topic of her thesis: The propaganda of nationalist organisations in the Polish Church and its correlation with the phenomenon of the emergence of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT+) free zones in Polish territory.
In 2020, according to the ILGA Europe Rainbow Map, Poland was ranked the most homophobic country in the European Union. This is a topical issue that inevitably concerns the theological field as well, as such strong homophobia and the emergence of “LGBT-free zones” in Poland are phenomena worthy of study. While on the surface it may seem obvious that the Polish Catholic Church is responsible for such a strongly negative attitude towards the LGBTQIA+ community, a deeper examination of the subject shows that it is rather a struggle between political and nationalist entities, with conservative Polish Catholics certainly joining in, but the Polish Catholic Church is by no means the only, and I believe not the leading, force shaping Polish attitude towards LGBTQIA+ community. It is precisely this division of forces that allows the introduction of so-called “LGBT+ free zones” in Poland on a quasi-legal basis, even though this is strongly condemned by the European Commission. The influence of the ideology of nationalist organisations on both the individual Polish citizen and the Polish Catholic Church as a whole plays a major role in this process.
The analysis of the processes taking place in Poland is also relevant in Latvia, as well as in any other country where the LGBTQIA+ community faces oppression, both from fundamentalist religious organisations or their representatives, as well as from the ruling political stance at the time and in the country. This deconstruction of hatred allows exploring the processes that are important today and to conclude how hateful currents and phenomena can emerge. This is an important topic in the study of religion, as it also allows examining, in this case, the different positions of the Polish Catholic Church on a fundamentally important issue - the relevance of the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and the issue of humane attitude.
"I think this study is very important because it highlights the so-called deconstruction of hatred, where we can look at processes in society more objectively and understand the role of different forces on the issues. The Kārlis Ozoliņš - Emīlis Mednis Trust Fund scholarship allows me to purchase relevant literature and expand my field of research, which is an invaluable contribution to this study. The financial support also allows me to plan future trips to Poland, if the following step will be necessary for the development of the study,” says the scholarship holder Diāna.
About the University of Latvia Foundation
Since 2004, the Foundation of the University of Latvia provides an opportunity for patrons and cooperation partners to support both University of Latvia and other leading Latvian universities, thus investing in the future of Latvia. The priorities of the University of Latvia Foundation are to support the best students and researchers, to promote the creation of a modern study environment, as well as the construction and reconstruction of university buildings.
