From Ashes to Text - Andean Literature of Sexual Dissidence in the 20th Century

The Spanish Conquest in the sixteenth century led to the burning of sex-dissident people at the stake, leaving a trauma that would mark the future literatures of the Andean region. This book reconsiders the value of the ash, a metaphor for sexual dissidences in the Andean region in the twentieth century, beyond multiculturalism and the Global LGBTI movement. It aims to understand the value of complex texts that challenge the abyss of past destruction and reflect on the contribution of the Global South to the understanding of the body and its intersections.

Format: Hardback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 16 September 2022
Publisher: Polity Press

In the sixteenth century, when the Spanish Conquerors arrived in the Andes, they brought with them a violent and oppressive culture that marginalized and discriminated against those who did not conform to the dominant European cisheteropatriarchal model. As a result, a group of sex-dissident individuals who lived outside of this model were subjected to horrific acts of violence, including being burned at the stake. This brutal act not only destroyed their physical bodies but also burned away their practices, ways of life, and textualities, leaving a deep and lasting trauma that would impact the future literatures of the Andean region.

This book cannot undo the damage that has been done to these pre-sodomite texts and bodies. However, it seeks to reevaluate the significance of ash, a metaphor that provides a critical and nuanced perspective on sexual dissidences in the Andean region during the twentieth century. By employing a comparative analysis and drawing on theoretical frameworks such as anticoloniality, feminism, and cuir (rather than queer) theories, the book aims to understand the value of a series of complex texts that showcase dissident subjectivities, practices, and desires.

The book received widespread acclaim and was honored with the prestigious Casa de las Américas prize. The jury praised the book for its paradoxical and thought-provoking approach to addressing the legacy of past destruction while also reflecting on the contributions of the Global South to the often uniformist thinking around the body and its intersections.

In conclusion, the Spanish Conquest in the Andes resulted in the marginalization and persecution of sex-dissident individuals, who were subjected to horrific acts of violence. This trauma has left a lasting impact on the Andean region's literature and culture. However, this book offers a new perspective on the value of ash as a metaphor for understanding and addressing sexual dissidences in the Andean context. By employing a comparative analysis and drawing on diverse theoretical frameworks, the book aims to broaden our understanding of the Andean and its complex history.

Weight: 450g
Dimension: 145 x 223 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509550159