My dedication to my profession is immense if I’m plowing through a book that uses words like “heteronormativity, whitenormativity (yes, it’s 1 word), and colonialnormativity (also 1 word)” in the same sentence.
You might laugh but if good academics (me, for instance) don’t write good scholarship using meaningful language, that’s all we’ll have in lieu of scholarship. So I get to read this crap and produce an alternative.
Those 3 words are meaningful, though. (Maybe not those 3 in the same sentence)
LikeLike
It’s silly jargon.
LikeLike
Better you than me. It is preferable to go into exile.
LikeLike
Well, normativity–especially anti-normativity in all its forms–is the new hot trend in the humanities these days. And the assumption that anti-normativity is always good (because norms are oppressive–and they often are) is something I find troubling, especially when it comes to queer theory. Queer theory and queer studies should be relevant to the lives of everyday gays and lesbians, and I think that most of us in the real world just want to live “normal” lives instead of being expected to lead oppositional, “anti-normative” lives. And furthermore, aren’t some norms good? For example, the norms against pedophilia and sexual assault, for starters, when it comes to sexuality.
LikeLike
Yes, the book I’m reading actually is about the evil nature of gays who “have been seduced” by the promise of normalcy.
LikeLike
I hope the writer doesn’t forget to mention “homonormativity” in the book. 🙂
LikeLike