Tranimacies: Intimate Links Between Animal and Trans* Studies

Tramanimacies is a neologism that combines transness and animality to explore unruly relationships between them and their spawn in various geopolitical and temporal sites. It includes original scholarship, dialogues, poetry, comix, bioart, and performance documentation. The book aims to rethink the linking of liberation struggles among former colonized peoples, minoritized genders and sexualities, racially marked persons, and non-human animals. Tranimacies are spread throughout the animacy hierarchies that delimit zones of possibility and agency, confounding the vertical order with transversal movements. By taking a decolonial approach, the authors hope to shift debates in animal studies towards accounting for and delinking from colonial mentalities.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Tramanimacies is a groundbreaking neologism that brings together transness and animality to explore and cultivate complex and unconventional relationships between them, ultimately fostering a reimagining of the interconnectedness of liberation struggles across various geopolitical and temporal contexts. This comprehensive book aims to challenge and redefine the connections between marginalized genders, sexualities, races, and non-human animals, highlighting the shared experiences and struggles of these groups.

The tranimacies concept encompasses a wide range of everyday and scholarly concepts, including transgender, animal, animacy, and intimacies. This edited volume presents a collection of theoretical and artistic works that delve into the heart of embodied experiences and political pulses at the core of these concepts. The authors argue that tranimacies are woven throughout the animacy hierarchies that delineate zones of possibility and agency, challenging the traditional vertical order and revealing transversal movements.

As an intervention into the growing debates within and across trans, animal, critical race, and posthuman studies, this publication seeks to destabilize the logic of turns in critical theory. By exploring sticky intimacies, the authors uncover how animality, race, and gender underpin the humanist production of meanings. Through a decolonial approach, the authors aim to shift debates in animal studies towards accounting for and dismantling colonial mentalities.

Three interweaving poems serve as a framework for the selection of chapters in this book, each representing a distinct line of inquiry defined by a shared ethos: transhistories of the present, lessons from the bestiary, and #animatingephemera.

The first line of inquiry, transhistories of the present, explores the historical and contemporary experiences of transgender and non-binary individuals, shedding light on the ways in which their identities have been shaped by societal norms, colonialism, and heteronormativity. The chapters in this section examine the ways in which trans and non-binary people have resisted and subverted oppressive systems, as well as the challenges they continue to face in the pursuit of liberation.

The second line of inquiry, lessons from the bestiary, draws on the rich metaphorical language of animals to explore the connections between human and non-human experiences. The chapters in this section examine the ways in which animals have been used as symbols of power, oppression, and resistance, as well as the ways in which they can inspire us to think critically about our relationships with other species.

The third line of inquiry, #animatingephemera, focuses on the role of digital technologies and social media in shaping contemporary understandings of animality and intimacy. The chapters in this section explore the ways in which digital platforms have facilitated the emergence of new forms of activism and advocacy, as well as the ways in which they have perpetuated harmful stereotypes and biases.

Overall, tranimacies offers a rich and multifaceted exploration of the complex and interconnected relationships between transness, animality, and various marginalized identities. Through its theoretical and artistic contributions, this book provides a valuable intervention into contemporary debates and offers a vision for a more inclusive and equitable world.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367567200