Spatial environments and the production of queer space in James Baldwin’s Gio-vanni’s Room

Abstract

The thesis examines the role of spatial environments in James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room, arguing that spaces in the novel actively shape the representation of sexuality, identity, and belonging. The thesis consists of an introduction, literature review, analysis, and conclusion. The introduction presents the novel, its context and the central research aim. The literature review defines space and queer space through spatial theory, queer geography, and previous Baldwin scholarship. The analysis focuses on Giovanni’s room, Parisian bars, streets, and spaces of pre-carity and discipline, showing how these environments structure intimacy, concealment, recog-nition, exclusion, and regulation. The conclusion summarises the central findings. Key words: James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room, queer space, spatial environments, sexuality