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7 - The Postmodern Moment in Gender Studies and Anthropology

from Part Two - Knowledges and Domains

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 September 2023

By
Sarah Green  and
Tuija Pulkkinen
Edited by
Cecilia McCallum ,
Silvia Posocco  and
Martin Fotta
Cecilia McCallum
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil
Silvia Posocco
Affiliation:
Birkbeck College, University of London
Martin Fotta
Affiliation:
Institute of Ethnology, Czech Academy of Sciences
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Summary

The postmodern moment was both important and turbulent in both anthropology and gender studies. This chapter focuses on how postmodern thought, which is described as being ant-foundational, engaged with thinking about gender and sexuality in gender studies and in anthropology, both in conjunction with each other as disciplines and in conjunction with feminist (and gay and lesbian) movements, which were influential during the same period. As an intellectual trend, the postmodern moment never attracted sufficient advocates to become a majority approach, and its time in the limelight was quickly over; nevertheless, the authors argue that the moment had lasting effects, particularly in terms of thinking about gender and sexuality. More specifically, they suggest that the introduction of postmodern thought affected the politicization of thought about gender and sexuality in the academy. In gender studies, it coincided with the founding of the discipline; in anthropology, it initially most notably came through the route of feminist-inspired kinship studies, and later through the influence of queer on studies of sexuality and embodiment.

Keywords

postmodern theorygender studiessexualityfeminismqueerLGBTQI+kinshipJudith ButlerMarilyn Stratherndeath of the subject
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook for the Anthropology of Gender and Sexuality , pp. 184 - 212
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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