Through a series of urban case studies, this book examines the articulation of particular subcultures and forms of expression with the broader stories we tell about postwar Europe and particular watershed moments. It considers queer life in the selected cities in relation to the advent and end of Cold War polarization, and considers the degree to which the iconic events of 1945, 1968, and 1989 influenced the social and sexual climate of the ensuing decades. It raises questions about the form and structure of the 1960s sexual revolution, and forces us to think about how we define sexual liberalization and where, how and on whose terms it occurs. The book also explores the role of America in shaping particular forms of subculture; the significance of changes in legal codes; modes of queer consumption and displays of community; the difficult fit of queer (as opposed to gay and lesbian) politics in liberal democracies; the challenge of AIDS; and the arrival of the internet.
