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Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory

Paddy McQueen Orcid Logo

Thesis Eleven, Volume: 134, Issue: 1, Pages: 73 - 88

Swansea University Author: Paddy McQueen Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1177/0725513616646024

Abstract

This paper analysis current forms of post-identity politics within contemporary gender theory, notably the works of Rosi Braidotti, Elizabeth Grosz and Bobby Noble. Although these thinkers offer some important insights, I argue that their theories ultimately suffer from what Lois McNay has labelled...

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Published in: Thesis Eleven
ISSN: 0725-5136 1461-7455
Published: 2016
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa48278
first_indexed 2019-01-18T14:01:33Z
last_indexed 2019-03-11T14:00:14Z
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spelling 2019-03-11T10:36:47.9499993 v2 48278 2019-01-18 Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory 4e2ee88771eac4a88ad1bc294afec919 0000-0001-9696-8654 Paddy McQueen Paddy McQueen true false 2019-01-18 SOSS This paper analysis current forms of post-identity politics within contemporary gender theory, notably the works of Rosi Braidotti, Elizabeth Grosz and Bobby Noble. Although these thinkers offer some important insights, I argue that their theories ultimately suffer from what Lois McNay has labelled ‘social weightlessness’. This is because their models of subjectivity and agency are severed from the everyday realities of social subjects. I indicate two ways that this social weightlessness is manifested in radical gender theories which offer a post-identity politics: (1) they underappreciate the social and political importance to many people of establishing stable, coherent identities; (ii) they are unable to offer a satisfactory account of agency. I suggest that these issues result, at least partly, from the anti-recognition stance adopted by these theorists. By incorporating an adequate model of recognition back into their theories, I claim, will equip their accounts with a properly-grounded model of the subject, which is responsive to the inequalities and oppressions that infuse the particular concrete contexts in which we experience and live out our identities. Journal Article Thesis Eleven 134 1 73 88 0725-5136 1461-7455 Agency; Gender theory; Identity; Post-identity politics; Recognition; Social weightlessness 14 6 2016 2016-06-14 10.1177/0725513616646024 COLLEGE NANME Social Sciences School COLLEGE CODE SOSS Swansea University 2019-03-11T10:36:47.9499993 2019-01-18T08:51:54.6869700 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Culture and Communication - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations Paddy McQueen 0000-0001-9696-8654 1 0048278-11022019133411.pdf 48278.pdf 2019-02-11T13:34:11.8770000 Output 91797 application/pdf Accepted Manuscript true 2019-02-10T00:00:00.0000000 true eng
title Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory
spellingShingle Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory
Paddy McQueen
title_short Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory
title_full Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory
title_fullStr Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory
title_full_unstemmed Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory
title_sort Post-identity politics and the social weightlessness of radical gender theory
author_id_str_mv 4e2ee88771eac4a88ad1bc294afec919
author_id_fullname_str_mv 4e2ee88771eac4a88ad1bc294afec919_***_Paddy McQueen
author Paddy McQueen
author2 Paddy McQueen
format Journal article
container_title Thesis Eleven
container_volume 134
container_issue 1
container_start_page 73
publishDate 2016
institution Swansea University
issn 0725-5136
1461-7455
doi_str_mv 10.1177/0725513616646024
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofhumanitiesandsocialsciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
department_str School of Culture and Communication - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Culture and Communication - Politics, Philosophy and International Relations
document_store_str 1
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description This paper analysis current forms of post-identity politics within contemporary gender theory, notably the works of Rosi Braidotti, Elizabeth Grosz and Bobby Noble. Although these thinkers offer some important insights, I argue that their theories ultimately suffer from what Lois McNay has labelled ‘social weightlessness’. This is because their models of subjectivity and agency are severed from the everyday realities of social subjects. I indicate two ways that this social weightlessness is manifested in radical gender theories which offer a post-identity politics: (1) they underappreciate the social and political importance to many people of establishing stable, coherent identities; (ii) they are unable to offer a satisfactory account of agency. I suggest that these issues result, at least partly, from the anti-recognition stance adopted by these theorists. By incorporating an adequate model of recognition back into their theories, I claim, will equip their accounts with a properly-grounded model of the subject, which is responsive to the inequalities and oppressions that infuse the particular concrete contexts in which we experience and live out our identities.
published_date 2016-06-14T04:49:31Z
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score 11.2862625

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