Unpredictable Activism in Times of Uncertainty

Abstract

This article aims to rethink the concept of unpredictability – one that natural law theoreticians such as Thomas Hobbes have in the past read through negative connotations of suspiciousness, uncertainty, contingency or anti-orderliness - through the lens of art and LGBTQI+ activism. Instead of demanding more certainty, security and authoritarianism in an era when we are confronted with radical uncertainties, this article aims to explore the potentialities of unpredictable activism; more specifically, it explores the unpredictable actions that Turkey-based LGBTI & Queer activists have staged in response to various attacks in the past few years. In so doing, it reads the concept of unpredictability in a positive way, and unveils its potential in the realm of political activism.