Additional information
by Bogdan Popa (Author)
De-centering queer theory seeks to reorient queer theory to a different conception of bodies and sexuality derived from Eastern European Marxism. The book articulates a contrast between the concept of the productive body, which draws its epistemology from Soviet and avant-garde theorists, and Cold War gender, which is defined as the social construction of the body. The first part of the book concentrates on the theoretical and visual production of Eastern European Marxism, which proposed an alternative version of sexuality to that of western liberalism. In doing so it offers a historical angle to understand the emergence not only of an alternative epistemology, but also of queer theory's vocabulary. The second part of the book provides a Marxist, anti-capitalist archive for queer studies, which often neglects to engage critically with its liberal and Cold War underpinnings.
Back Jacket
De-centering queer theory offers a radical reorientation of the field, challenging the central concept of gender and introducing an alternative vision of the body derived from Soviet and avant-garde theorists.
Gender, defined as the social construction of the body, is a key element of North American queer studies. But its origins in an anti-communist, Cold War social science program have yet to be properly historicized. In tracing the history of the concept of gender through decisive moments in the 1920s, 1950s and 1990s, this book decenters queer studies while illuminating the emergence of contemporary sexual categories. At the same time, it excavates a rival communist sexuality, originating in Eastern European Marxism, that focuses on the productive body - a body better equipped to feel and live than its capitalist counterpart. Drawing on materials from socialist theory, queer studies and communist films, this ground-breaking book introduces a historical-materialist approach to queer theory. Beyond analysing competitive models of Cold War sexuality, it offers a sensuous materiality that transforms queer epistemology and provides new tools for interrogating queer liberalism.Author Biography
Bogdan Popa is a Researcher at the Center for Cultural Innovation and Creativity, Transilvania University of Brasov
