Queer History of Adolescence: Developmental Pasts, Relational Futures

In "A Queer History of Adolescence," Gabrielle Owen argues that adolescence has a logic, a way of thinking, that emerges over the course of the nineteenth century and that survives in various forms to this day. This logic makes the idea of adolescence possible and naturalizes our historically specific ways of conceptualizing time, development, social hierarchy, and the self. The book offers a multifaceted and historicized theory for categories of age that challenges existing methodologies for studying children and adolescents and imagines the world-making possibilities that critique enables.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 266 pages
Publication date: 30 December 2020
Publisher: University of Georgia Press

A groundbreaking exploration of the queer history of adolescence, Gabrielle Owen's book delves into the undeniable and essential role of this period in the production of difference. Drawing from a diverse and dynamic archive encompassing British and American newspapers, medical papers, pamphlets, and adolescent and children's literature circulating on both sides of the Atlantic, Owen compellingly argues that adolescence emerges as a distinct logic, a way of thinking, over the course of the nineteenth century, and continues to shape our understanding of time, development, social hierarchy, and the self to this day.

In this rich tapestry of intersectional analysis, Owen offers a multifaceted and historicized theory for categories of age that challenges existing methodologies for studying children and adolescents. Rather than presenting critique as an end in itself, A Queer History of Adolescence imagines the world-making possibilities that critique enables, shedding light on the critical importance of relationality in the lived world. By exposing the profound presence of history in our contemporary moment, Owen aims to transform the habits of mind that shape age relations, social hierarchy, and the politics of identity.

This book is a vital contribution to the field, offering a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the complexities of adolescence and its enduring impact on individuals and society. It is a must-read for scholars, educators, and anyone interested in exploring the rich tapestry of human experience.

Weight: 412g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780820357461