Deconstructing gender and power : a feminist post-structuralist discourse analysis of "Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin" (misbehaved club)

Abstract

This paper explores how Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin, a contemporary theatrical work set in 1980s Malta, constructs and challenges gendered and heteronormative discourses through the lens of Feminist Post-Structuralist Discourse Analysis (FPDA). By critically engaging with the play's language, character dynamics, and narrative structure, the research investigates how power, gender performativity, and marginalisation are communicated, contested, and reimagined within a historically queer-invisible Maltese context.

The study highlights the importance of examining cultural productions as sites where silenced LGBTQ+ narratives can be reclaimed and made visible, particularly in periods marked by institutionalised heteronormativity and social conservatism. The analysis focuses not only on the play's historical backdrop but also on its continuing relevance, demonstrating how Il-Każin tal- Imqarbin destabilises rigid binary gender roles. By adopting a feminist post-structuralist perspective, the paper examines how discourses surrounding gender and sexuality are both reflected and subverted within the script, offering alternative ways of understanding subjectivity and agency.