Reviews (4)

Wonderful and Timely
This book is a must read for all psychiatry shcools

A well-written, balanced book
This book deserves to rank higher on Amazon.com's sales list.It seems very difficult to find a book that deals with this subject fairly, since this subject is so politically charged.But this book does a very good job of laying out the most current scientific research.People who should read it may not because they may assume that it's coming from a traditional religious perspective.Ultimately, it is.But the authors lay the scientific research out fairly and draw rational conclusions from it.It's hard to see how anybody could be offended by this book, no matter what side of the fence they happen to be on.Much of the material overlaps with Thomas Schmidt's "Straight and Narrow" (published five years earlier by the same publisher, Intervarsity Press).But Schmidt's book was more overtly critical of homosexuality, whereas this book is somewhat less personal and more clinical.The authors seem to take some pains not to offend.But the book does show (as Schmidt does) that the media coverage of this subject tends to really oversimplify (and, to a degree, whitewash) a very complex subject.

Thorough discussion of homosexuality, flawed theology
Jones and Yarhouse's comprehensive discussion of the science of homosexuality is welcome and long overdue. In particular, the authors touch upon a subject -- ex-gays -- that both liberal and conservative activists have avoided addressing scientifically because the facts reflect poorly on the claims of both sides.Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Christian Life - Social Issues    3. Ethics    4. Gay Studies    5. Homosexuality    6. Moral Theology    7. Philosophy    8. Philosophy & Social Aspects    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Religion    11. Religion - Socialissues    12. Religious aspects    13. Christian life & practice    14. Christian social thought & activity    15. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Reviews (4)

A reader
What a fabulous piece of work.Dr. Thurer combines an astute clinical eye to take up queer theory in a way that is intelligent, humorous, and enjoyable to read. Bravo!

Must-read for anyone interested in sex!
The End of Gender is, by far, the most comprehensive and best-researched book on human sexuality written by a psychoanalyst.Thurer writes in a highly readable style and her humor is easily detectible.She writes this book as a practicing clinician hoping to better understand the gender and sexuality continuum expressed in her patients.In achieving this goal, she incorporates biology, neuroscience, sociology, queer theory, feminist theory, and various schools of psychoanalysis.While this sounds intimidating, Thurer remains readable as she successfully convinces us that sexuality and gender are constructs that cannot be contained in the boxes we have traditionally shoved them in.
Amazing job!
This clear, lively book offers an overview of current debates about the nature of gender and sexuality in fields ranging from literary and cultural studies to the social, behavioral and biological sciences--fiends among which there has been deplorably minimal cross-fertilization.I developed one of the early college courses on gender roles in the 1970s;were I still teaching, what a resource it would be!While threading her way through the mazes of contemporary psychoanalyic, postmodern, and queer theories, Shari Thurer, a clinician as well as a scholar, never loses sight of real people who are trying to make sense of their lives. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gender identity    2. Homosexuality    3. Human Sexuality    4. Philosophy    5. Psychological aspects    6. Psychology    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. Social Science / Sociology / General    11. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (9)

Decent Intro to a less-decent theory
I found this book to be a quick and interesting read.Jagose laid out the social history of homosexuality very clearly, providing a good background to understand the context of queer theory.The explanation of queer theory was pretty clear, considering the difficulty involved in defining a term that resists being defined. Pretty Good Introduction
This is a well-written, concise introduction to the ever-growing, booming field of queer theory. As more and more people are coming out of the closet due to an increasing acceptance of homosexuality, queer theory and gay and lesbian studies will absolutely thrive. There are so many gay people in America alone, and it seems like more and more people are coming out every day. Heterosexuality is boring and Establishment. Without gays and lesbians this country would be extremely dull and intellectually starved.Jagose's book is a real wake-up call.

There is Something Queer Going on Here!
Author Annamarie Jagose does a good job of highlighting the top scholars in the queer studies field and putting them together in one, concise volume.As a media communications scholar with an emphasis in queer studies I found this book immensly helpful.Jagose does a good job of chronicling history as well, so that the reader gets an insight of what was going on historically in the gay rights movement.I applauded the chapter also on lesbian feminism since that is often left out of many queer studies books.Highly recommended for scholar new to this field.While the definition(s) of "queer" are hard to define, I can at least appreciate someone who can make some sense of an often confusing and muddy subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    3. Gays    4. Gender Studies    5. Homosexuality    6. Identity    7. Lesbianism    8. Philosophy    9. Sexuality    10. Social Science    11. GAY AND LESBIAN STUDIES    12. Gay & Lesbian studies    13. Social Science / Gay Studies   

Subjects:  1. Film & Video - General    2. Gay & Lesbian    3. General    4. Literary Criticism    5. Literature and morals    6. Moral and ethical aspects    7. Motion pictures    8. Philosophy    9. Semiotics & Theory    10. Special Subjects In Motion Pictures    11. Theory Of Literature    12. Literature: History & Criticism    13. Philosophy / General    14. Topics in philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Congresses    2. Gay Studies    3. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    4. Homosexuality    5. Social Science    6. United States   

Reviews (1)

A Guide to a New View of the Free Self
Dr. Winnubst's latest work should prove to be an excellent, eye opening experience for anyone interested in what we mean when we call ourselves "free," or even what we mean when we say "I." Using several eariler philosopher's works about experience and identity, Dr. Winnubst deconstructs the myth of the automonous individual, independent of such fundamental considerations such as race, gender, economic status, and sexual orientation. Further, she argues that the myth of the autonomous self has been established for the sake of those who benefit from social injustice, what Dr. Winnubst calls "phallisized whiteness." She continues by offering how we can proceed while accepting our aspects of race, gender, wealth, and the like as inseparable parts of ourselves.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Boundaries    2. Differentiation (Sociology)    3. Gay Studies    4. Gender Studies    5. General    6. Liberty    7. Philosophy    8. Social aspects    9. Sociology    10. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Subjects:  1. Classroom Management    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Homophobia in higher education    5. Homosexuality and education    6. Multicultural Education    7. Philosophy & Social Aspects    8. Teachers    9. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    10. Training of    11. United States    12. Education / General   

Reviews (2)

Naturam expellas furca, tamen usque recurret
At Marx's graveside, Engels praised him as a revolutionary -- which he was -- and credited him with two of the greatest scientific discoveries in human history: first, that "just as Darwin discovered the law of development of organic nature, so Marx discovered the law of development of human history" and second, that Marx had discovered the "special law of motion" without which all previous economics "had been groping in the dark." Setting history on equal scientific footing with evolutionary biology, and making economics for the first time truly scientific would indeed be astounding accopmlishments.
Gem from abrilliant thinker.
This book will forever redefine feminism for its readers. Read more

Subjects:  1. Feminism    2. Feminism & Feminist Theory    3. Feminism and literature    4. Feminist theory    5. Gay Studies    6. General    7. Lesbianism    8. Philosophy    9. Radicalism    10. Sociology    11. Essays, journals, letters & other prose works    12. Literature of special Lesbian interest    13. Social Science / Gender Studies   

Reviews (3)

A seminal work
The title Fear of a Queer Planet is a play on the famous essay on race, Fear of a Black Planet;only readers deaf to history would fail to make the connection. This is a pioneering book, with essays by Eve Sedgewick, HenryL. Gates, and Michael Warner, among others, the first to push gay identitypolitics beyond its limitations within "gay and lesbian studies"and into social, economic, and transcultural theory. It is indeed"planetary" in its attempt to take gay and lesbian theory pastthe blindness of American identity niche-marketing and and fashion magazine triumphalism.

A seminal work
The title Fear of a Queer Planet is a play on the famous essay on race, Fear of a Black Planet; only readers deaf to history would fail to make the connection. This is a pioneering book, with essays by Eve Sedgewick, HenryL. Gates, and Michael Warner, among others, the first to push gay identitypolitics beyond its limitations within "gay and lesbian studies"and into social, economic, and transcultural theory. It is indeed"planetary" in its attempt to take gay and lesbian theory pastthe blindness of American identity niche-marketing and and fashion magazinetriumphalism.

Does the book tell us why and how the fear is planatary?
Queer as used in this title means sexual conduct that deviates from established norms.It is not gender limited.The question then is who is afraid and how does that fear involve the planet?Those who fear, evidently, are those burdened with imposing the norms.The first essay in this anthology tells the story of Balboa's encounter with Panamanian "sodomy."The burden in that case fell upon political and religious figures.The next-to-last essay tells how the defeat of Quebec's bid for sovereignity was blamed on its tolerance of homosexuality, thus situating the burden in the domain of the general culture.The last essay recounts the "outing" in the US pop media of a female entertainer with attendant public anxieties, thus situating the locus in the general culture.But how does that make the fear planetary?The introduction, best read as a postscript,attempts to connect the theme with the planetthrough the device of Pioneer 10's spacecr! aft design.But the connection is superficia,l and the reader is left to find it in the issues raised by postmodernism, which heavily undergirds much of the volume's ponderosity.Eleven of its 15 contributors are teachers of English, with a lit-crit approach heavily freighted with fashionable structuralism-desctructuralism jargon; but the diligent reader can find a rich cornocupia for reflection here and food for thought;but he/she must look for the planatary connection (and it does exist, we have no doubt) in the areas of ontology and epistomology that postmodernism leaves us floundering in. Howard of Athens ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gays    3. Gender Studies    4. History & Theory - General    5. Homosexuality    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Philosophy    8. Political activity    9. Political aspects    10. Sociology    11. United States    12. Gay & Lesbian studies    13. Political science & theory   

Reviews (10)

A fabulous reading
This book is probably the best book on how to ground and use Foucault in relation to contemporary social movement politics - an incredibly important rejoinder to the depoliticized, sterile versions of Foucault that do the rounds today in British sociology departments etc.Halperin is one of the best (and certainly most entertaining) readers of the History of SexualityVols 2 & 3.Do yourself a favour & get it!

An Outstanding Classic!
This is the best book I have ever read on Foucault, no contest--though one must be clear that Halperin is EXPLICITLY NOT attempting any general and comprehensive explanation of Foucault's life work and thought, which Halperin makes quite clear, though there seems to be some confusion below regarding this point.In fact, the tone of some of the reviews only serve as a demonstration of some of Halperin's points.
Wonderful Book!
I thought Halperin's book was great. What I can't believe is the reaction his book has gotten from the other reviewers. You would think that of all people Foucault fans would not be homophobic or heterosexist -- and yet this is common with heterosexuals interested in Foucault. They often say, "It's what he said that is important, not what he was." As if there were a difference, which, of course, there is not. Straight people often attempt to colonize gay thinkers (Wittegnstein, for example), and the first thing they do is hide from others the sexual orientation of these thinkers as much as they can. Then, when someone mentions how awful gay people are based on what he or she saw from skewed footage of a Pride parade on the news, do these colonists ever say, "Well, not all gay people are silly and frivolous: look at Foucault, look at Wittgenstein, look at Alan Turing, and a whole host of other famous minds." No, they keep quite about all that and nod their heads in agreement. Tisk. Tisk. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay & Lesbian    2. Gay Studies    3. History & Surveys - Modern    4. Literary Criticism    5. Philosophy    6. Semiotics & Theory    7. Biography: general    8. Gay & Lesbian studies    9. Literature/English | World Literature | Literary Criticism    10. Social Science / Gay Studies    11. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Criticism    3. Feminism    4. Feminism & Feminist Theory    5. Philosophy    6. Political    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Women And Politics    10. Cultural studies    11. Philosophy / Criticism    12. Social theory   

Reviews (1)

A mixed bag
As the English speaking world is lacking the definitive collection of Foucault's numerous occasional writings for journals, newspapers and forwards to books, any addition to the ever-expanding oeuvre oftranslations is a plus.Read more

Subjects:  1. Comparative Religion    2. Gay Studies    3. Philosophy    4. Political    5. Religion    6. Religion and culture    7. Religious    8. Gay studies (Gay men)    9. Philosophy of religion    10. Religion & Beliefs    11. Religion / General    12. Social & political philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Ethics    2. Gay Studies    3. Philosophy & Social Aspects    4. Science    5. Social Aspects    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Ethics & moral philosophy    9. Philosophy of science   

Reviews (1)

An excellent overview of queer materialism
This book is controversial, to say the least. Perusing the table of contents reveals that many of the essays Morton wanted to include were denied permission to reprint. Be that as it may, this volume is nonetheless useful. It documents a growing movement within queer studies, that of Queer Materialism.Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay and lesbian studies    3. Gender Studies    4. Homosexuality    5. Lesbianism    6. Philosophy    7. Gay & Lesbian studies    8. Literary studies: general   

Reviews (2)

Excellent Feminist Theory text
McWhorter's book was a terrific success in a 300-level philosophy/women's studies class on Feminist Theory. The combination of autobiography and defense of Foucault istremendously moving and intellectually gripping. McWhorter forced me to reconsider all of my objections to post-modernism. And just when you start to feel bogged down in the theory, you suddenly encounter a memorable character like McWhorter's second cousin Rory. McWhorter is a great story teller. This book has my highest recommendation.

a smart and autobiographical interpretation of foucault
mcwhorter tackles important and complicated issues--sexuality, political activism--from a personal and practical point of view. while a background knowledge of foucault would be helpful, one does not have to be aphilosophy scholar to feel the force of mcwhorter's argument. she mixesclose textual analysis with very comonsensical, accessible examples.prepare to be convinced of the political power to be found in line dancingand backyard gardening! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Body, Human    3. Gender Studies    4. Gender identity    5. General    6. Philosophy    7. Political aspects    8. Sex role    9. Social Science    10. Social aspects    11. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Feminism & Feminist Theory    2. Feminist theory    3. Gay Studies    4. Gender Studies    5. History & Surveys - Modern    6. Philosophy    7. Political aspects    8. Postmodernism    9. Social Science    10. Social aspects    11. Sociology    12. Structuralism    13. Social Science / Feminism & Feminist Theory    14. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Reviews (1)

Great Book
This is a great book. I always enjoy Steven Seidman's work. He is one of the best sociologists and social theorists writing on queer themes. Sociologists actually make the best analysts of gay and lesbian thought, life, culture, behavior, identity, etc. The so-called "queer theorists" working in English and Comparative Lit. departments never seem to get it right. The reason is simple: if you want to truly study something you need sociological skills like knowing how to do ethnographies and quantitative research. Compt lit people can't do any of that. All they can do (like the philosophy people) is just speculate. That doesn't quite cut it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business/Economics    2. Gay Studies    3. Gays    4. Gender Studies    5. Homosexuality    6. Identity    7. Lesbian Studies    8. Methodology    9. Philosophy    10. Psychology Of Homosexuality    11. Sociology    12. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Reviews (4)

The Best of Law and Literature Scholarship
For those with a general background in literature and in law, this book is straightforward and easy to follow.The book explores the complicated act of confessing in a myriad of contexts, greatly enriching the reader's understanding of this most troubling speech act.When so much "scholarship" in the nascent field of law and literature is banal, a profound work such as this one gives the entire field much needed legitimacy.

like nothing I've ever read
There's no shortage of originality in Peter Brooks' recent foray into the confessional act.Indeed, "Troubling Confessions" is a kind of sui generis text on the place of confession in Western Culture, and as such it bears absolutely no resemblance to other and earlier critical treatments of confessional literature.What's remarkable, looking back on the rich tradition of literary and cultural scholarship that came out of Yale during the 70s and 80s, is that nobody even *thought* to broach exactly these questions.That a work so plainly underivative should appear now, after the long and arid years during which the Yale school had grown into a pale and emaciated shadow of its former self -- well, it gives one pause.And one could justifiably argue that this is the effect of Brooks' oeuvre as a whole, which, if read cover to cover, induces the kind of silence from which even the keenest intellect can scarcely be roused.

Speaking No Ill of Speaking Guilt
Those with an interest in law and literature have awaited this book, and for them there should be no disappointment. From a variety of perspectives, Brooks reflects on the extraordinary value that Western culture places on the act of confession, and the equally extraordinary problems that Western culture has assessing individual confessions. We want confessions, yet we are equally suspicious of them. Brooks' method for examining this cultural ambiguity is to juxtapose literary and legal traditions of confession (the religious tradition also receives significant attention). By juxtaposing these traditions, Brooks argues that we can better see the demands that are made of confession in Western culture, as well as the demands that confession, in turn, makes of us as members of social communities and as individuals. His interdisciplinary moves are skillful, his historical and legal glossings are accessible, and his readings of literary texts (and films) are smart. The chapters can be read individually, allowing the reader to jump around at will. Chapter 1 looks at how the Supreme Court has tried to address the problem of confession, primarily through Miranda. Chapter 2 looks at the relationship between the confessor to the confessant in various contexts -- law, literature, religion, psychoanalysis. Chapter 3 looks at the problem of the voluntary vs. the coerced confession with a close reading of Culombe v. Connecticut. Chapter 4 discusses how the religious tradition of confession affects modern understanding of identity and selfhood. Chapter 5 addresses the law's difficulty addressing psychoanalytic concepts of truth, identity, guilt, and victimhood. Finally, Chapter 6 sums things up by looking at what motivates or compels an confession at all.Among other literary works, Rousseau's Confessions, The Brothers Karamazov, Alfred Hitchcock's film I Confess, The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man and Camus' The Fallmake extended appearances. These texts are hardly obscure, and neither are the general outline or the finer points of Brooks' argument. Very helpful to anyone interested in confession, narrative and rhetoric, or the general relationship between law and literature. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Gay & Lesbian    3. Literary Criticism    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Ethics & moral philosophy    6. Literary Criticism & Collections / Gay & Lesbian    7. Literary studies: general    8. USA   

Reviews (1)

Razor sharp & entertaining analysis
Perchuk and Posner ought to be rewarded for this study. Perchuk's writing, especially, was well worth the price of admission. Their analysis of today post-feminist, post-modern gender values is more than just informative and dead-on target - it sparkles with humor and irony and sizzles with deflatory realism ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. Art, Modern    5. Exhibitions    6. Masculinity in art    7. Movements - Humanism    8. Philosophy    9. Reference    10. Special Subjects In Art    11. Art / Fine Arts    12. Feminism    13. Gay studies (Gay men)    14. Other prose: from c 1900 -    15. Theory of art   

Reviews (1)

A Necessary Antedote to Prevailing Gay Views
Douglas Crimp's collection of essays, many of which were written a decade ago, still have relevance today.They provide a necessary antidote to the views of many gay commentators who claim to speak for gays and lesbians in a voice of assimulation and accomodation.Crimp deconstructs their arguments to reveal their ambivalence (at best) and their homophobia (at worst).Read more

Subjects:  1. Essays    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Gay Studies    4. Gender Studies    5. History & Theory - General    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. AIDS: social aspects    9. Gay & Lesbian studies    10. Social Science / Gender Studies    11. USA