Description
Book SynopsisUsing queer theory and Marx's theory of value to explore issues of assimilation, representation, and equivalence, this book traces the concepts through selected 19th-century texts and contemporary gay and lesbian studies.
Trade Review“The intensifying conflict between sex-radical queers and morally righteous gay citizens has lead to the ruination of contemporary sexual politics. Eric Clarke shows the way through the impasse with his viciously sharp analyses, which display the virtues of theoretical precision and historically informed scholarship. His book will transform how we think about sexuality and citizenship, about visibility, democracy, and the public sphere.”—Douglas Crimp, editor of
AIDS: Cultural Analysis/Cultural Activism“This exceptionally intelligent study makes crucial contributions to ongoing conundrums about the connections between capitalism and gay identity. With remarkable sophistication, Clarke is able to connect the abstractions of Kant’s categorical imperative to the everyday pleasures of watching
Ellen come out on TV. A powerful and sure-to-be influential book.”—Ann Cvetkovich, author of
Mixed Feelings: Feminism, Mass Culture, and Victorian Sensationalism"
Virtuous Vice is an ambitious, subtle, and revelatory book, establishing Clarke as a major voice in queer theory and in social theory generally. It should be required reading for anyone interested in Habermas or Foucault, or in the complex issues of contemporary sexual politics."—Michael Warner, author of
The Trouble With Normal: Sex, Politics and the Ethics of Queer LifeTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix
Introduction: Homoeroticism and the Public Sphere 1
1 Visibility at the Limits of Inclusion 29
2 Autonomy and Conformity 68
3 The Citizen's Sexual Shadow 101
4 Inseminating the Orient, Disseminating Identity 126
5 Shelley's Heart 148
Epilogue: Beyond Tolderance 169
Notes 173
Bibliography 215
Index 229
