Judith Butler: From Norms to Politics

Key Contemporary Thinkers (Polity)

by Moya Lloyd

With the publication of her highly acclaimed and much-cited book Gender Trouble, Judith Butler became one of the most influential feminist theorists of her generation. Her theory of gender performativity and her writings on corporeality, on the injurious capacity of language, on the vulnerability of human life to violence and on the impact of mourning on politics have, taken together, comprised a substantial and highly original body of work that has a wide and truly cross-disciplinary appeal. In this lively book, Moya Lloyd provides both a clear exposition and an original critique of Butler's work. She examines Butlers core ideas, traces the development of her thought from her first book to her most recent work, and assesses Butlers engagements with the philosophies of Hegel, Foucault, Derrida, Irigaray and de Beauvoir, as well as addressing the nature and impact of Butler's writing on feminist theory. Throughout Lloyd is particularly concerned to examine Butler's political theory, including her critical interventions in such contemporary political controversies as those surrounding gay marriage, hate-speech, human rights, and September 11 and its aftermath. Judith Butler offers an accessible and original contribution to existing debates that will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars alike.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Joseph Sverker]

Judith Butler: From Norms to Politics is a very good introduction to Butler's work up until around 2006. It has a kind of mixed approach and method to Butler's thinking. It is in many way a chronological structure where Lloyd starts with Subjects of Desire and the continues to Precarious Life, Giving an account of Oneself and Undoing Gender. Yet, having said that, the sense is that the book is tied together thematically rather than chronologically. Lloyd lets certain themes run through the book, for example desire and psychoanalysis, feminism and subversion. These themes are of course influenced by Butler's most influential book, Gender Trouble, yet I think Lloyd manages to show how they run through almost all of Butler's thinking. To my mind, the book is particularly strong on Butler and Feminism and it does not get as stuck on queer theory as some commentators tend to do.

A slightly annoying thing in the book are the constant references forward in the book to chapter 6, as if everything will be dealt with there (and then references in chapter 6 back to previous chapters!). Chapter 6 is a good summary of the previous book, yet I think the references could have been dealt with differently.

Anyway, this is certainly a good starting point if one wants to be introduced to Butler. Having said that I think Salih's book on Butler is still the book for an introduction to Butler.

[Cee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moya Lloyd succeeds in proving a readable and clear critique of Butler's work, which is often so dreadfully complex and opaque. I read Lloyd's chapter on Gender Trouble immediately after finishing the book, and her well-structured approach was a breath of fresh air. What I especially appreciate is that Lloyd doesn't "dumb down" Butler's arguments, but contextualizes them, teases them apart, and in that way, make them easier to grasp. At times I almost felt as if Lloyd was slightly overcompensating for Butler's difuseness by writing too structered, in a rather text-book manner - but this is just a minor criticism on the style. The content is impeccable.

[Nate Lim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it.

If you are interested in feminist theory, you should know Butler is the top mind to be picking from and this book provides valuable insight and interpretation to her works.

[Kamakana · Rating 4 out of 5]

281013: authors to read: Derrida, Lacan, Freud, Foucault, Levinas, Kristeva, Zizek, Foucault again... oh, then Judith Butler...

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great insight into the works and thought of Judith Butler and a must-read for anyone involved in debate revolving around sex, gender, gender identity, and politics.