Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Is the closet just a metaphor? Closet Spaces examines how the spatial metaphor of "the closet" works not merely metaphorically to describe the concealment, denial and ignorance of gay men's presence in the world, but also materially as a spatial practice of power/knowledge. It explores how our use of this metaphor draws on implicit assumptions about space and movement to argue that the closet can be found at a variety of spatial scales, from the body to the globe, and in numerous locations. Using a variety of research techniques and materials, the book explores the closet through such diverse texts as the oral histories of gay men in the UK and US and international travel guides and travelogues.
Synopsis
Is the closet just a metaphor? Closet Space provides a highly original account of the spatial metaphor of "the closet", and is the first geography text to focus on this important issue. Using a variety of research techniques and materials, the book explores the closet through texts including:
* the oral histories of gay men in the UK and US
* the sexualised landscape of a New Zealand city
* the national census of Britain and the US
* international travel guides and travelogues
and refers to the work of Butler, Lefebvre and Foucault.