Doctoral Dissertation Research: Defining Discrimination in France and the United States

博士论文研究：定义法国和美国的歧视

• 批准号: 1226663
• 负责人: Abigail Saguy
• 金额: $ 1.02万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-08-01 至 2013-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1226663&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Defining; Discrimination

This study examines why legal protection on the basis of sexual orientation is recognized in some areas of law and not others, how some but not all unequal treatment of sexual orientation minority citizens becomes legally defined as discrimination, and how those on both sides of the issue justify their stances. For example, France permits civil unions and prohibits workplace discrimination but strictly prohibits procreative assistance to homosexual couples. In contrast, the U.S. prohibits federal recognition of same-sex couples, but most states permit adoption and artificial insemination. Comparing France and the U.S.. which differ in their political and legal structure, the role played by social movement organizations in public policy, and the degree of controversy generated by moral issues in general ? provides analytical leverage on how these factors may matter. Specifically, the investigator asks: 1) how do political actors frame different legal concerns (e.g. marriage and filiation, hate crimes, workplace discrimination); 2) what legal, institutional and cultural factors across national cases account for the differences and similarities in how they frame these issues; and 3) how do they justify the uneven recognition of rights within their own countries? To answer these questions, he analyzes observational, interview, and archival data, including legal code, judicial and legislative debates, media coverage, and arguments made by sexual orientation law experts, including activists, public figures, intellectuals, and scientists. The investigator conceptualizes these debates as decision making processes that require political actors to judge the moral status and origin of sexual orientation and weigh it against their conceptions of the common good. This study provides a lens through which to analyze issues facing contemporary democracies, such as the limits of immutability arguments for rights claims, the expanding influence of bioethical justifications for inclusion, and relationships between science and politics.

这项研究探讨了为什么在某些法律领域而不是其他领域认识到的法律保护，而不是在其他方面认识到，有些但不是全部不平等的性取向少数民族公民在法律上被法律定义为歧视，以及问题双方如何证明其立场是合理的。例如，法国允许公民工会并禁止工作场所歧视，但严格禁止对同性恋夫妇的繁殖援助。相比之下，美国禁止联邦承认同性夫妇，但大多数州都允许采用和人工授精。比较法国和美国的政治和法律结构，社会运动组织在公共政策中所扮演的角色以及一般道德问题产生的争议程度？提供有关这些因素可能重要的分析杠杆作用。 具体来说，调查员要求：1）政治行为者如何构成不同的法律问题（例如婚姻和罪行，仇恨犯罪，工作场所歧视）； 2）国家案件中有哪些法律，制度和文化因素解释了它们如何构架这些问题的差异和相似之处； 3）他们如何证明对自己国家内部权利的不平稳认可是合理的？为了回答这些问题，他分析了观察性，访谈和档案数据，包括法律法规，司法和立法辩论，媒体报道以及性取向法律专家（包括激进主义者，公众人物，知识分子和科学家）提出的论点。研究者将这些辩论概念化为决策过程，这些决策过程需要政治参与者判断性取向的道德地位和起源，并权衡其与他们对共同利益的观念。这项研究提供了一种分析当代民主国家面临的问题的镜头，例如无休止的权利主张论点的限制，包容性生物伦理理由的不断扩展以及科学与政治之间的关系。