Synopses & Reviews
Winner of the 2007 Ruth Benedict Award! A unique collection of writings by both academic and activist scholars on womens same-sex sexualities and female masculinities in a globalizing Asia. Through richly detailed studies, contributors explore the emergence of contemporary lesbian and butch/femme relationships and communities throughout Asia and their location within the context of nationalist struggles, religious fundamentalism, state gender regimes, and global queer movements.
Review
"The authors here point toward the multiplicity of meanings and impact within the anti-hegemonic practices they describe. More importantly, by continually emphasizing the difference cultural specificity introduces to similarly called terms and practices, the authors and chapters here work toward expanding our often thin conceptions of sexuality, subversion, dominance and gender." - The Feminist Review"An exciting collection that addresses persistent problems in social theory and activism. Is feminist analysis more perceptive than queer analysis in understanding Asian women's same-sex experiences? How does attention class alter how we understand globalization and identity? These essays, by anthropologists, historians and local activist scholars, encourage us to ask new questions and should be read by anyone interested in gender, sexuality and culture today." - Don Kulick, Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, New York University, author of Travesti: Sex, Gender and Culture among Brazilian Transgendered Prostitutes
"As the diversity of contexts and the different methodologies from various disciplines evince, this book is an invaluable contribution to comparative, postcolonial, transnational feminist and queer scholarship...no doubt a great companion for any scholars and students interested in women, masculinities, and sexualities in a globalizing Asia." - Gendered Perspectives on International Development
Review
"The authors here point toward the multiplicity of meanings and impact within the anti-hegemonic practices they describe. More importantly, by continually emphasizing the difference cultural specificity introduces to similarly called terms and practices, the authors and chapters here work toward expanding our often thin conceptions of sexuality, subversion, dominance and gender." - The Feminist Review"An exciting collection that addresses persistent problems in social theory and activism. Is feminist analysis more perceptive than queer analysis in understanding Asian women's same-sex experiences? How does attention class alter how we understand globalization and identity? These essays, by anthropologists, historians and local activist scholars, encourage us to ask new questions and should be read by anyone interested in gender, sexuality and culture today." - Don Kulick, Professor of Anthropology, Director of the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality, New York University, author of Travesti: Sex, Gender and Culture among Brazilian Transgendered Prostitutes
"As the diversity of contexts and the different methodologies from various disciplines evince, this book is an invaluable contribution to comparative, postcolonial, transnational feminist and queer scholarship...no doubt a great companion for any scholars and students interested in women, masculinities, and sexualities in a globalizing Asia." - Gendered Perspectives on International Development
Synopsis
Through detailed studies, this collection of writings by academics and activists explores the emergence of contemporary lesbian and butch/femme relationships and communities throughout Asia and their location within the context of nationalist struggles, religious fundamentalism, state gender regimes and global queer movements.
Synopsis
This book is based on a multinational and multidisciplinary discussion between American and European researchers and practitioners on the moral, legal and political dilemmas raised by the use of force in today's world. Are humanitarian interventions and counter-terrorism just forms of war in disguise? Is the just war tradition still relevant? What role does the issue of legitimacy play in the actions of states? Does the notion of "the global war against terror" play into the hands of terrorists? What are the lessons of the recent military interventions, from Kosovo to Iraq? What role for the U.N., for international criminal justice? What consequences for international order? The book provides no definitive answers but is the clearest and most searching book available to students and to the general public.
About the Author
Evelyn Blackwood is Associate Professor in Anthropology and Women's Studies, Purdue University. Saskia E. Wieringa is Senior Research Fellow, The University of Amsterdam, and Director of the International Women's Center and Archives in Amsterdam. Abha Bhaiya is a founding member of Jagori, a feminist resource center based in Delhi.
Table of Contents
Globalization, Sexuality and Silences: Women's Same-Sex Experiences in a Globalizing Asia--Evelyn Blackwood & Saskia E. Wieringa *
Part I: Historical Legacies * Silence, Sin and the System: Women's Same-Sex Practices in Japan--Saskia E.Wieringa * Desire and Deviance in Classical Indian Philosophy: A Study of Female Masculinity and Male Femininity in the Tamil Folk Legend
--Alliyarasanimalai Kanchana Natarajan *
Part II: Conditional Subjectivities * The Spring that Flowers between Women--Abha Bhaiya * Performing Gender along the Lesbian Continuum: The Politics of Sexual Identity in the Seitô Society-- Peichen Wu * “But no one has explained to me who I am now…”: “Trans” Self-perceptions in Sri Lanka--Shermal Wijewardene *
Part III: Female Masculinities * Gender Subjectivity: Dees and Toms in Thailand--Megan Sinnott * Hunting down Love: Female Masculinity in Bugis South Sulawesi--Sharyn Graham Davies * Lesbian Masculinities: Identity and Body Construction among Tomboys in Hong Kong--Franco Lai * Transnational Sexualities in One Place: Indonesian Readings--Evelyn Blackwood *
Part IV: Silencing and Modes of Invisibility * Flames of Fire: Expressions and Denial of Female Sexuality--Abha Bhaiya * Dying to Tell: Sexuality and Suicide in Imperial Japan--Jennifer Robertson * “She has come from the world of the spirits…”: Life Stories of Working-class Lesbian Women in Northern India--Maya Sharma