De-Centering Queer Theory: Communist Sexuality in the Flow During and After the Cold War

De-centering queer theory reorients queer theory to a different conception of bodies and sexuality derived from Eastern European Marxism, contrasting the productive body with Cold War gender. The book offers a historical angle to understand the emergence of an alternative epistemology and queer theory's vocabulary.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 12 December 2023
Publisher: Manchester University Press

De-centering queer theory aims to reorient queer theory towards a distinct understanding of bodies and sexuality rooted in Eastern European Marxism. This book explores a juxtaposition between the concept of the productive body, which draws its epistemology from Soviet and avant-garde theorists, and Cold War gender, which is characterized as the social construction of the body. The first part of the book delves into the theoretical and visual production of Eastern European Marxism, which presented an alternative perspective on sexuality in contrast to Western liberalism. By offering a historical lens, the book sheds light on the emergence of not only an alternative epistemology but also the vocabulary used in queer theory.

The second part of the book serves as a Marxist, anti-capitalist archive for queer studies, although it often fails to critically engage with its liberal and Cold War underpinnings. This book aims to challenge the dominant narratives within queer studies and provide a more comprehensive and critical understanding of the field. By de-centering queer theory and exploring its connections to Eastern European Marxism, this book offers a fresh perspective on the study of gender and sexuality.

Weight: 328g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526174659