American media now regularly focuses an often sympathetic beam on gay life - and, with AIDS, on gay death. Gay plays on Broadway, big book awards to authors writing on gay subjects, Hollywood movies with gay themes, gay and lesbian studies at dozens of universities, openly gay columnists and even editors at national mainstream publications, political leaders speaking in favour of gay rights: it seems that straight America has finally begun to listen to homosexual America. Even so, Bersani notes, not only has homophobia ...
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American media now regularly focuses an often sympathetic beam on gay life - and, with AIDS, on gay death. Gay plays on Broadway, big book awards to authors writing on gay subjects, Hollywood movies with gay themes, gay and lesbian studies at dozens of universities, openly gay columnists and even editors at national mainstream publications, political leaders speaking in favour of gay rights: it seems that straight America has finally begun to listen to homosexual America. Even so, Bersani notes, not only has homophobia grown more virulent, but many gay men and lesbians themselves are reluctant to be identified as homosexuals. In "Homos", he studies the historical, political and philosophical grounds for the current distrust, within the gay community, of self-identifying moves, for the paradoxical desire to be invisibly visible. While acknowledging the dangers of any kind of group identification (if you can be singled out, you can be disciplined), Bersani argues for a bolder presentation of what it means to be gay. In their justifiable suspicion of labels, gay men and lesbians have nearly disappeared into their own sophisticated awareness of how they have been socially constructed. By downplaying their sexuality, gays risk self-immolation - they will melt into the stifling culture they had wanted to contest. In his chapters on contemporary queer theory, on Foucault and psychoanalysis, on the politics of sadomasochism and on the image of "the gay outlaw" in works by Gide, Proust, and Genet, Bersani discusses the possibility that same-sex desire by its very nature can disrupt oppressive social orders. His theory of "homo-ness" should be of interest to straights as well as gays, for it designates a mode of connecting to the world embodied in, but not reducible to, a sexual preference. The gay identity Bersani advocates is more of a "force" - as such, rather cool to the modest goal of social tolerance for diverse lifestyles - which can lead to a massive redefining of sociality itself, and of what we might expect from human communities.
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Add this copy of Homos to cart. $9.49, good condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
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Good. Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. Could have library markings. Ships promptly!
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $10.48, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $10.48, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $10.48, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $15.00, very good condition, Sold by Blue Heron Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Claremont, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard U. Press.
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $25.50, good condition, Sold by True Oak Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Highland, NY, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
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Good+ in Good+ dust jacket. 208 pages; Foxing (light) to the exterior edge of pages, mostly top edge, and DJ insides. Very Good overall condition otherwise. No other noteworthy defects. No markings.; -We're committed to your satisfaction. We offer free returns and respond promptly to all inquiries. Your item will be carefully wrapped in bubble wrap and securely boxed. All orders ship on the same or next business day. Buy with confidence.
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $39.43, like new condition, Sold by Halcyon Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from LONDON, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $42.62, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hialeah, FL, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
Add this copy of Homos to cart. $44.15, new condition, Sold by Books and More by the Rowe rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bella Vista, AR, UNITED STATES, published 1995 by Harvard University Press.
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New in fine dust jacket. BRAND NEW. DJ has slight shelf-wear. Excellent condition. Never read or opened. No remainder mark. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 218 p. Audience: General/trade.