Subjects:  1. Criticism    2. Gay & Lesbian    3. Identity (Philosophical concep    4. Identity (Philosophical concept) in literature    5. Literary Criticism    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. Cultural studies    9. Gender studies    10. Social Science / Sociology / General    11. Social groups & communities   

Reviews (1)

The five stars are for Shelley
This book contains three things.Shelley's translation of Plato's dialogue _The Banquet_ (or _Symposium_), the first and still the greatest English version; Shelley's courageously anti-homophobic essay _A Discourse on the Manners of the Ancient Athenians Relative to the Subject of Love_; and an introduction by editor John Lauritsen. The five stars are for Shelley. Read more

Subjects:  1. Early works to 1800    2. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    3. Gay Studies    4. General    5. Love    6. Philosophy    7. Socrates   

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Communication and sex    3. Gay Studies    4. Gender Studies    5. Homosexuality    6. Lesbian Studies    7. Philosophy    8. Social Science    9. Social aspects    10. Sociology   

Reviews (1)

A salient assessment of the politics of homosexuality
Mohr writes an engaging and intellectually stimulating work that examines the ethical and philosophical imperatives behind equality for homosexuals in America.His sound "compare/contrast" methodology of ethical reflection exposes the selective and arbitrary nature of the efforts by certain forces in America to resist gay rights.He lays out compelling suggestions for the direction that gay activism must move to continue to be relevent and empowered in modern America.He neither caters to the powerful gay left paradigm nor walks the safe path of gradualism.His ideas, for the most part, make sense in a way that the reader will find him/herself exclaiming at various points, "Of course! That is exactly what needs to happen."His work suffers in two areas.He is a member of the academic elite in the purest sense of the word.His expressed disdain for the very students he is responsible to teach leaves a bad taste in this reviewer's mouth, at least.More critical to the substance of his work is the manner in which he allows his personal religious views to affect his arguments.His own distaste for organized religion leads him to conclude that religious gays should step aside and not participate in the struggle for gay rights, their best intentions not withstanding.This is an incredibly weak argument and stands out drastically when compared to the rest of his argument which is sound and balanced.He argues that gay Christian activism only invites the Religious Right into the debate in an arena where they have the upper hand.He could not be more wrong, but his lack of understanding of the religious issues leaves him unable to see the incredible importance of maintaining a strong religious argument that challenges the religious rhetoric of the Right using shared values and language.Overall, however, I have yet to read a more powerful look into the future of a successful gay rights movement. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Rights    2. Gay Studies    3. Gender Studies    4. Lesbian Studies    5. Reference    6. Sociology    7. Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gay rights    3. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    4. Homosexuality    5. Moral and ethical aspects    6. Philosophy    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. Gay & Lesbian studies    11. Human rights    12. Political Science / Civil Rights    13. Political ideologies    14. Social & political philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Closeted gays    2. Coming out (Sexual orientation    3. Coming out (Sexual orientation)    4. Gay Studies    5. Gender Studies    6. Philosophy    7. Social Science    8. Social sciences    9. Sociology    10. Spatial behavior    11. Cultural studies    12. Gay studies (Gay men)    13. Literary studies: general    14. Science / Geography   

Subjects:  1. Gay & Lesbian    2. Gay Studies    3. General    4. Homosexuality    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism    6. Philosophy    7. Social Science    8. Social change    9. Social sciences    10. Sociology    11. Germany    12. Modern Western philosophy, c 1600 to the present   

Reviews (2)

Blount Breathes Life into Hidden Histories
Although a great deal of the "history" Blount uncovers and recounts in this significant volume has transpired in the last 30 years (the lifetimes and school times of many of us) the people and the issues that she chronicles have been absent in our lessons and conversations within and about schools and schooling. Blount's book is a welcome awakening to the hidden histories and erased identities of students and school workers who manifest unconventional gender or desire persons of the same sex.
Making the invisible visible
This is the most important book yet written about same-sex desire and the institution of education in the US. Blount describes in rich detail how schools have attempted to control the sexuality of their workers--and how school workers have resisted. The research for the book is impressive: Blount traveled widely throughout the US to access archives and other original sources. The book is sure to stimulate a wide range of emotions in readers: outrage at oppression, satisfaction at successful resistance, sadness that justice continues to be withheld in too many school districts. The book is highly readable, beautifully written, and compelling. Anyone interested in the history of sexuality, education, and/or gender will find this book to be absorbing. I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Education / Teaching    4. Epistemology    5. History    6. Movements - Pragmatism    7. Philosophers    8. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    9. Lesbian studies   

Subjects:  1. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    2. Lesbian Studies    3. Lesbianism    4. Social Science    5. Sociology   

Reviews (1)

At least one brilliant essay...
...There's at least one brilliant essay in this anthology, Leo Bersani's "Is the Rectum a Grave?" Neverminding how colourful that title is, it's a serious piece of writing, and very thought provoking. I'm straight, but was compelled to deeply question the construction of my own sexuality (and that of masculine sexuality in general) by this work, which looks at homophobia in light of feminist theories about phallocentric vs. nonphallocentric, "passive" forms of sexuality. It's been a long time since I've read it, but it fascinated me years ago and remains memorable -- a good reason to recommend this book, which I imagine is the only place said essay is still in print. As for the rest of the authors in this text, my apologies -- I don't remember if I read a single one of the other essays! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay Studies    2. Gender Studies    3. History    4. Homosexuality    5. Philosophy    6. Sexology    7. Sociology    8. Sodomy    9. Gay & Lesbian studies    10. Religion: general    11. Social Science / Lesbian Studies    12. Social history   

Subjects:  1. 1874-1946    2. American - General    3. Conversation in literature    4. Criticism and interpretation    5. Gay & Lesbian    6. Interpersonal communication in    7. Interpersonal communication in literature    8. Literary Criticism    9. Literature - Classics / Criticism    10. Meaning (Philosophy) in litera    11. Meaning (Philosophy) in literature    12. Stein, Gertrude,    13. English    14. Literary studies: from c 1900 -    15. USA   

Reviews (3)

Mindless
This guy is a cranky old cultural conservative and a social Darwinist dressed in Objectivist clothing.

Homophobia Run Amok!
This is a hateful little book, a vile diatribe, virulently anti-gay, and homophobia run amok.It is, I believe, arrogant, pretentious, presumptious, and highly judgmental.
Pathetic Reasoning
Reading this work was an exercise in forcing myself to keep reading.The holes in the reasoning are immense.I'm all for people expressing their views and I'm all for reasoned discussion-- but you won't find it here.Try another work. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Philosophy & Social Aspects    3. Education / Philosophy & Social Aspects   

Subjects:  1. Hinduism    2. Oriental & Indian philosophy   

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Gay Studies    4. Gay students    5. Gay youth    6. Gay-straight alliances in scho    7. Gay-straight alliances in schools    8. General    9. Philosophy & Social Aspects    10. United States    11. Education / General    12. Gay & Lesbian studies   

Reviews (2)

An Alternative View of a Book on an Important Issue
As a response to the previous reviewer who was so appalled by the alleged "modernist" tone of the book, I found this volume to be a serious and thoughtful analysis of the issue.There is nothing to suggest that the authors are not comitted Christians engaging a contemporary issue.Nor is there any indication that the authors reject core Christian beliefs/theology simply because they chose to address a contemporary question.The first review says more about the reviewer than it does about the book itself.Whether one accepts or agrees with the authors, their book deserves a careful and critical reading.

Another Paperback of Throwaway Theology
As with most books I read, or intend to read, my first look is to the book's publisher.In this case the publisher is that distinguished publisher of theology, the State University of New York Press.I searchedmy personal library for other books of that publisher, and could find none. I searched the internet for SUNY Press's stable of justly-famoustheologians, and could find none. I did note that the book is ranked572,509th in Amazon.com's sales list.Undaunted, I read the book anyway.So that those who might not want to read this entire review, I will cutright to the bottom line.This book is a primer on how modern theologicalthought is done.If you can name any theological idea that has seen thelight of day in the last one hundred years (5% of the Christian Era'sentire time, mind you!) these authors have accepted it.You might namehistorical-critical method of Biblical interpretation.You might namefeminism, evolutionary social theory, reframing, the homosexualist agenda,etc.All have been uncritically accepted and used as if everyone wouldthink that each of these has universal and absolute authority in the lifeof the entire Christian (world?) community.The underlying assumption isthat of a modernist bias that says only the accumulated knowledge andwisdom of the present age is of any value in doing theology. I haveknown of pastors, priests, bishops and theologians who do what has come tobe known as "paperback" theology.But I think this is the firstvolume I have ever seen that actually has it printed in paperback!It doesnot surprise me any more that anyone in the Christian community might buyinto this way of doing theology.It saves on having to do one's homeworkin the formative or conciliar era of Christian formation.Modernist biassimply rejects that as as being anti- or at least pre-scientific.Thus itis no wonder I have not heard of this volume.It is now seven years old asa book of paperback theology and is, no doubt, out of date and can berelegated to the pile of hundreds, nay thousands, of other such paperbacktheological tomes. In terms of its theological arguments, the authorsattempt quite successfully to explain exactly what this new moral categoryof "heterosexism" actually is.They do so by analogy with othersinful "-isms" such as "racism."Racism comes aboutwhen one particular race is seen as normative and all other races arejudged against it.Generally, that is how these authors defineheterosexism.Their argument is that there is not one "model"for sexuality against which all others are to be judged.They claim thattoday the notion of heterosexuality is taken as the prevailing norm forhuman sexual relationships.As such all other notions of sexuality whenjudged against that model are found to be wanting.That wanting has beendescribed historically by some as sin, sickness, maladjustment and by manyother pejorative epithets.This understanding, pervasive in church andsociety, they claim, must be dismantled.For, after all, any sexualorientation, being a gift of God must be judged on its own terms, not bycomparison or contrast with any specific orientation that might benormative. With full and uncritical acceptance of the modern notion of"justice," and with full and uncritical acceptance of modernbiblical criticism, they then proceed to support this claim.Their methodis the tried and true method of paperback theology -- reverse logic. Having claimed that a = c, they then proceed to try and prove that a = band b = c.(For those who have forgotten, first you prove that a = b and b= c; then, all things being equal, a = c.)The Bible, they say, does notspeak to the issues and therefore we as Christians must find a moral normoutside of the Bible.And, since justice is demanded by all for whateverorientation or behavior is desired, we must accept all of these justbecause we ought to love each other. That, after all, is what Christiansdo! I have obviously reduced a closely thought-out argument to rathersimplistic terms.But I do so not to belittle the argument, but to cutthrough the rhetoric to see not the faulty conclusions, but the faultymethod.When 95% of Christian wisdom is whisked away by the modernistbias, there will result faulty method.When scientific data is used simplyto support preconceived conclusions, there will result faulty method.Andfaulty method produces faulty conclusions.As stated earlier, my fearis not of what is said in this book.My fear is that theology willcontinue to be done in this way.My fear is that the church's leaders willcontinue to accept this throwaway theology.My fear is continuingrejection of the wisdom of the Church from its inception. Yes.Read thisbook.There is much to learn about how theology is done in the modernchurch today.But--caveat christianum emptor! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Applied Christian Sexual Ethics    2. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    3. Gay Studies    4. Heterosexism    5. Homophobia    6. Homosexuality    7. Human Sexuality    8. Moral and ethical aspects    9. Philosophy    10. Sociology    11. United States   

Subjects:  1. Heterosexuality    2. Homosexuality    3. Philosophy    4. Sex    5. Sex Relations    6. Sociology   

Subjects:  1. Feminism & Feminist Theory    2. Feminist theory    3. Gay communities    4. Gay community    5. General    6. Psychology    7. Psychology Of Sexuality    8. Psychology Of Women    9. Sociology    10. Women    11. Women's Studies - General    12. Cultural studies    13. Gender studies    14. Philosophy / General   

Subjects:  1. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    2. Gay rights    3. Human rights    4. International Relations - General    5. Political Freedom & Security - Human Rights    6. Political Science    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Women's rights    10. Gender studies    11. Political Science / International Relations    12. Politics | International Studies | Human Rights   

Reviews (1)

Not the most enlightening book - but quite interesting
This book seems to have the quality of a washing-up liquid advert.This seems summed up by its complete lack of depth in philosophical implications.It is about as stimulating as having an intellectual conversation with Jerry Springer. Please, Please, Please don't read this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Gay/Lesbian Nonfiction    2. General    3. Lesbian Studies    4. Lesbianism    5. Lesbians    6. Philosophy    7. Schools Of Philosophy    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Western philosophy, from c 1900 -   

Subjects:  1. 18th century    2. Criticism    3. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    4. Ethics in literature    5. European literature    6. Gay & Lesbian    7. History and criticism    8. Moral conditions in literature    9. Philosophy    10. Literary studies: general    11. Modern Western philosophy, c 1600 to the present    12. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory