Dr Koen Slootmaeckers
Contact details
Personal links
About
Overview
Koen Slootmaeckers is a Reader in International Politics at the Department of International Politics at City St George's, University of London. He has a multidisciplinary background and combines insights from sociology and political science into his work.
His award-winning research focusses on gender and sexuality politics in Europe and is particularly interested in analysing hierarchies within the international system. More specifically, Koen has studied the EU accession of Serbia and how this process affects LGBT politics and activism. And his more recent project is interested in the transnational politics of LGBT Pride Parades.
Koen is the author of "Coming in: Sexual politics and EU accession in Serbia (Manchester University Press, 2023; winner of 2025 EUSA Best Book Prize) and his work has been widely published, including a (co-)edited volume ‘EU Enlargement and Gay Politics’ (Palgrave 2016; with Heleen Touquet and Peter Vermeersch), and articles in, amongst others, International Political Sociology, East European Politics, Politics, Contemporary Southeastern Europe, Journal of Homosexuality, and Europe-Asia Studies
Employment
- External Examiner, Richmond, The American International University in London, United Kingdom, September 2021 - September 2026
Administrative role
- Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, September 2025 - present
Fellowships
- Senior Fellowship, University of Graz, March - June 2024
Memberships of committees
- EDI Officer, EDI Officer for UACES, September 2023 - August 2026
Awards
-
Council for European Studies Gender and Sexuality Research Network (2025). Best Article Prize
Best Article Prize for the article: Ammaturo, F.R., Slootmaeckers, K. (2025). The Unexpected Politics of ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Maps: (De)constructing Queer Utopias/Dystopias. European Journal of Politics and Gender. 8(1), 3-25. -
European Union Studies Association (2025). 2025 EUSA Best Book Prize
Best book prize for 'Coming in: Sexual politics and EU accession in Serbia' - UACES (2018). UACES Prize for Best PhD Thesis in Contemporary European Studies
Expertise
Geographic Areas
- Europe
- Europe - Eastern
Research
Research interests
As an international political sociologist, Koen's research is broadly focused on the ways in which boundaries, inclusion and exclusion are maintained in society and within international relations. He has done extensive research on the promotion of and resistance to LGBT equality in international politics. More specifically, Koen has studied the EU accession of Serbia and how this process affects LGBT politics and activism. His current research focuses on the place of Pride events within the LGBTI movement and his future research seeks to better understand the role of emotions in politics and how they can be used to overcome polarisation.
Through his work, Koen questions concepts like progress as well as the power relations within transnational politics and builds towards de-constructing core-periphery hierarchical relations.
Research and PhD Supervision
- Gender and Sexuality Politics
- Transnational social movements (Gender and Sexuality)
- LGBTI+ Rights
- Homophobia
Publications
Featured publications
- Ammaturo, F.R. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2025). The unexpected politics of ILGA-Europe’s rainbow maps: (de)constructing queer utopias/dystopias. European Journal of Politics and Gender, 8(1), pp. 3-25. doi:10.1332/25151088y2024d000000036
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2023). Coming In Sexual Politics and EU Accession in Serbia. Manchester: Manchester University Press. ISBN 9781526159342.
- Slootmaeckers, K. and Bosia, M.J. (2023). The Dislocation of LGBT Politics: Pride, Globalization, and Geo-Temporality in Uganda and Serbia. International Political Sociology, 17(1). doi:10.1093/ips/olad004
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2022). Unpacking Normative Resonance: The Attitudinal Panopticon and the Implementation Gap of LGBT Rights in Serbia. Social Politics: International Studies in Gender, State & Society, 29(1), pp. 1-23. doi:10.1093/sp/jxaa037
Publications by category
Books (2)
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2025). Dolazak: Politika seksualnosti i pristupanje EU u Srbiji. (Maljković, D. , Trans.) Belgrade: Centar za kvir Studije. ISBN 9788691814953.
- Slootmaeckers, K., Touquet, H. and Vermeersch, P. (Eds.), (2016). The EU Enlargement and Gay Politics: The Impact of Eastern Enlargement on Rights, Activism and Prejudice. London: Palgrave.
Chapters (8)
- Guerrina, R. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2025). Gender and Sexuality in the EU. In Cini, M. and Pérez-Solórzano Borragán, N. (Eds.), European Union Politics (pp. 433-448). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780198898986.
- Beck, D., Habed, A.J., Henninger, A., Mühlenhoff, H. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2023). Blurring Boundaries as an Invitation to Self-Reflection: A Roundtable Discussion. In Beck, D., Habed, A.J. and Henninger, A. (Eds.), Blurring Boundaries – ‘Anti-Gender’ Ideology Meets Feminist and LGBTIQ+ Discourses (pp. 215-228). Leverkusen, Germany: Verlag Barbara Budrich. ISBN 9783847426844.
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2021). The Europeanization and Politicisation of LGBT Rights in Serbia. In Fábián, K., Johnson, J.E. and Lazda, M. (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Gender in Central-Eastern Europe and Eurasia Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781138347755.
- Cooper, S.J. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2020). Welcome to the ‘Family’: Integration, Identity, and Inclusivity in European Studies. In Jones, E. (Ed.), European Studies: Past, Present, and Future (pp. 32-35). Newcastle, UK: Agenda Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781788212823.
- Slootmaeckers, K., Touquet, H. and Vermeersch, P. (2016). Introduction: EU Enlargement and LGBT Rights—Beyond Symbolism? The EU Enlargement and Gay Politics (pp. 1-16). Palgrave Macmillan UK. ISBN 9781137480927.
- Slootmaeckers, K., Touquet, H. and Vermeersch, P. (2016). The Co-evolution of EU’s Eastern Enlargement and LGBT Politics: An Ever Gayer Union? The EU Enlargement and Gay Politics (pp. 19-44). Palgrave Macmillan UK. ISBN 9781137480927.
- Pavasović Trošt, T. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2015). Religion, Homosexuality and Nationalism in the Western Balkans: The Role of Religious Institutions in Defining the Nation. Religious and Sexual Nationalisms in Central and Eastern Europe (pp. 154-180). BRILL. ISBN 9789004297470.
- Guerrina, R. and Slootmaeckers, K. Gender and Sexuality and (D/d)issensus over Liberal Democracy. In Coman, R., Bădulescu, C., Christiansen, T. and Simoncin, M. (Eds.), Palgrave Handbook of Dissensus over Liberal Democracy Palgrave Macmillan.
Exhibition
- Slootmaeckers, K. and @IMG_Dawood, (2023). Sheltered Pride. 21 June-1 July, O3ONE Art Space.
Internet publications (9)
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2026).The European Court of Justice's Hungary judgement and what it means for LGBTQ+ rights. The Loop: Gendering Democracy.
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2022).EuroPride in Belgrade: The EU must do better and demand more from Serbia. Openly.
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2022).Serbia banning EuroPride 2022 shows hard-won progress for LGBTQ+ rights is under threat. The Conversation.
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2022).EU sues Hungary over anti-gay law – what it could mean for LGBT rights in Europe. The Conversation.
- Ammaturo, F.R. and Slootmaeckers, K.(2020).The Politics of Rainbow Maps. LSE Engenderings.
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2017).Tactical Europeanisation: Why Serbia’s decision to appoint an openly gay PM is no great leap forward for LGBT rights. LSE EUROPP European Politics and Policy Blog.
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2017).Serbia’s New Lesbian Prime Minister: A Symbolic Step Forward? Balkanist.
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2014).Belgrade Pride 2014: Where There Is a Need, There Is Tolerance? Balkanist.
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2014).Belgrade Pride 2014: Another blow to the head or will it go ahead? LSEE Research on SEE Blog.
Journal articles (17)
- Innes, A., Slootmaeckers, K., Cook, E., Adisa, O., Blumell, L., Feder, G.... Sjoberg, L. (2026). Collective Discussion: Violence as a Boundary Object: Implications for the Field of International Political Sociology. International Political Sociology, 20(3). doi:10.1093/ips/olag024
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2025). A Relational Approach to Study Europeanisation via Enlargement. Geopolitics pp. 1-27. doi:10.1080/14650045.2025.2535672
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2020). LGBTI Rights in Turkey: Sexuality and the State in the Middle East. By Fait Muedini. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018. 274p. $105.00 cloth, $27.99 paper. Perspectives on Politics, 18(1), pp. 302-304. doi:10.1017/s1537592719004286
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2020). Constructing European Union Identity through LGBT Equality Promotion: Crises and Shifting Othering Processes in the European Union Enlargement. Political Studies Review, 18(3), pp. 346-361. doi:10.1177/1478929919877624
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2019). Frontiers of Civil Society: Government and Hegemony in Serbia, written by Marek Mikuš. Southeastern Europe, 43(3), pp. 321-324. doi:10.1163/18763332-04303006
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2019). Book Review: Marek Mikuš. Frontiers of Civil Society: Government and Hegemony in Serbia. (New York: Berghahn, 2018). ISBN 9781785338908. Southeastern Europe, 43(3), pp. 321-324. doi:10.1163/18763332-04303006
- Meuleman, B., Abts, K., Slootmaeckers, K. and Meeusen, C. (2019). Differentiated Threat and the Genesis of Prejudice: Group-Specific Antecedents of Homonegativity, Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, and Anti-Immigrant Attitudes. Social Problems, 66(2), pp. 222-244. doi:10.1093/socpro/spy002
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2019). Nationalism as competing masculinities: Homophobia as a technology of othering for hetero- and homonationalism. Theory and Society, 48(2), pp. 239-265. doi:10.1007/s11186-019-09346-4
- Slootmaeckers, K. and O'Dwyer, C. (2018). Europeanization of Attitudes Towards Homosexuality: Exploring the Role of Education in the Transnational Diffusion of Values. Innovation / Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 31(4), pp. 406-428. doi:10.1080/13511610.2018.1536969
- Slootmaeckers, K. and Sircar, I. (2018). Marrying European and Domestic Politics? The Marriage Referendum in Croatia and Value-Based Euroscepticism. Europe-Asia Studies, 70(3), pp. 321-344. doi:10.1080/09668136.2018.1457136
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2017). The litmus test of pride: analysing the emergence of the Belgrade “Ghost” pride in the context of EU accession. East European Politics, 33(4), pp. 517-535. doi:10.1080/21599165.2017.1367290
- Meuleman, B., Abts, K., Slootmaeckers, K. and Meeusen, C. (2017). Gedifferentieerde dreiging en de verklaring van vooroordelen: anti-immigrantenattitudes, islamofobie, antisemitisme en homonegativiteit vergeleken. Sociologos, 38(1-2). doi:10.21825/sociologos.86936
- Slootmaeckers, K., Touquet, H. and Vermeersch, P. (2016). PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Gender and Politics, Part F11684, pp. v-vii
- Adriaensen, J., Kerremans, B. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2015). Editors’ Introduction to the Thematic Issue: Mad about Methods? Teaching Research Methods in Political Science. Journal of Political Science Education, 11(1), pp. 1-10. doi:10.1080/15512169.2014.985017
- Ulbricht, A., Sircar, I. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2015). Queer to be kind: Exploring Western media discourses about the “Eastern bloc” during the 2007 and 2014 Eurovision Song Contests. Contemporary Southeastern Europe, 2, pp. 155-172
- Slootmaeckers, K. and Lievens, J. (2014). Cultural Capital and Attitudes Toward Homosexuals: Exploring the Relation Between Lifestyles and Homonegativity. Journal of Homosexuality, 61(7), pp. 962-979. doi:10.1080/00918369.2014.870848
- Slootmaeckers, K., Kerremans, B. and Adriaensen, J. (2014). Too Afraid to Learn: Attitudes towards Statistics as a Barrier to Learning Statistics and to Acquiring Quantitative Skills. Politics, 34(2), pp. 191-200. doi:10.1111/1467-9256.12042
Reports (3)
- Guerrina, R. and Slootmaeckers, K. (2023). The Sound of Silence: EDI in the European Studies Canon. University Association for Contemporary European Studies.
- Cooper-Cunningham, D., Hagen, J.J., Akbary, A., Ayazi, M., Bohémier, A., Chen, E.... Vernon, P. (2023). Queering Peace and Security: Recommendations to the United Nations Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. University of Sheffield.
- Slootmaeckers, K. (2022). The EU and LGBTIQ Rights. London, UK: UK in a Changing Europe.
Thesis/dissertation
- Slootmaeckers, K. From 'Strategic Accession' to 'Tactical Europeanisation'? The Promotion of and Resistance to LGBT Equality in Serbia’s European Integration Process. (PhD)
Other
- Slootmaeckers, K.(2025). Does citizenship as an apparatus of government rely on ‘progress’ as a technology of power?
Professional activities
Editorial activity
- Politics and Governance, Editorial Board member, April 2022 - April 2026.
Media appearance
- The fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Hungary. Radio interview for ABC
Media appearances (3)
- Koen Slootmaeckers: "De LGBTQ-gemeenschap staat onder druk door de opmars van extreemrechts en meer conservatisme". (2024) De wereld van Sofie (radio).
- Verkiezingen in Servië. Wat is de inzet? En hoe belangrijk zijn deze voor de EU? (2023) De Ochtend (radio).
- Optimist Interview: Koen Slootmaeckers. (2023) Optimist (magazine).