After Queer Theory: The Limits of Sexual Politics

by James Penney

After Queer Theory makes the provocative claim that queer theory has run its course, made obsolete by the elaboration of its own logic within capitalism. James Penney argues that far from signalling the end of anti-homophobic criticism, however, the end of queer presents the occasion to rethink the relation between sexuality and politics.

Through a critical return to Marxism and psychoanalysis (Freud
and Lacan), Penney insists that the way to implant sexuality in the field of political antagonism is paradoxically to abandon the exhausted premise of a politicised sexuality.

After Queer Theory argues that it is necessary to wrest sexuality from the dead-end of identity politics, opening it up to a universal emancipatory struggle beyond the reach of capitalism's powers of commodification.

Genres: Queer, Nonfiction, Theory, Politics, Philosophy, Gay

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2013

Reviews

[silly_ebadu · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow. this handed my ass to me!! after reading this there are so many things i wish i could re write and change about how i have engaged with ‘queer theory’. really cool marxist critique. v academic and struggled with some theory raised (chapter 5 espesh) would probs would rate higher on a re-read.

[Disa Lagerqvist · Rating 4 out of 5]

was supposed to read this five years ago when I borrowed it from a friend, but I finally got around to it now.

parts of it were interesting, insightful and made me question the relationship between queer theory and the revolutionary struggle. these were the first 3 chapters, those related to marxism.

unfortunately i know very little about Freud and psychoanalysis, and so Penney really lost me in the last half, mostly due to my lack of interest in the field and my own lack of comprehension. the materialist criticism is what will stick with me, not the psychoanalysis. however, interesting, thoughtful, developed arguments on queer theory and the movement.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to give this four stars for the good chapters, but there was one ("The Sameness of Sexual Difference") on psychoanalytic case literature really undermined the book's strength. At the start of the following chapter on p.175 he admits that to some readers "it may have seemed out of place", and that's true. I'm not psychoanalytically inclined, and to make an argument to reinvigorate or move beyond queer theory, I think a different approach to writing about psychoanalysis would have been warranted. There was also a missing chapter which undermined the book - a conclusion. There were a lot of threads of critique and constructive argument that could have really brought the room together if woven into a conclusion. Really glad this book exists though. Had to revisit some of the texts he quotes to see my notes were in agreement with many of his readings. A valuable provocation.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific theoretical intervention that aims to re-politicize queer theory via a very strong reading of psychoanalytic theory. I’m usually reluctant to engage with that framework but Penney is a hugely energetic and polemical writer and it’s lots of fun to see him lay into Butler, Deleuze and Guattari, and Foucault – for very good reasons.

[Mills College Library]

306.76601 P4138 2014