Queer Theories

by Donald E. Hall

This essential introductory guide explores and aggressively expands the provocative new field of sexual identity studies. It explains the history of sexual identity categories, such as 'gay' and 'lesbian', covers the reclamation of 'queer' as a term of radical self-identification, and details recent challenges to sexual identity studies posed by transgender and bisexual theories. Donald E. Hall offers concrete applications of the abstract theories he explores, with imaginative new readings of such works as 'The Yellow Wallpaper', Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde , Orlando and The Color Purple .

Throughout, Hall urges the reader to grapple with the changing nature of sexual identity in the twenty-first century and asks searching questions about how we might identify ourselves differently given new technologies and new possibilities for sexual experimentation. To students, theorists and activists alike, Queer Theories issues a challenge to continue to disrupt narrow, traditional notions of sexual 'normality' and to resist setting up new and confining categories of 'true' sexual identity.

Genres: Queer, Nonfiction, LGBT, Philosophy, Theory

214 pages, Paperback

First published October 30, 2002

Reviews

[Geoffrey Bateman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this book for a class I'm teaching this semester, and for the most part, it holds up and provides students with a clear and compelling overview to queer theory, history of sexuality, and the limitations of embracing queer as a critical term. It does require some updating given how the field has grown and shifted since its publication, but overall, still a strong introduction.

[Tiara LaBanca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text is a great gateway into understanding queer theory. Reading it allowed me to begin to digest more academic writing in the subject.

[Sean Dempsey]

I read this book with very few exceptions having picked it up on a whim as it was shelved next to some other, more well known, queer theory books that I need for my thesis research and was pleasantly surprised. Admittedly, Hall provides a very surface level and broad overview of queer theory as it was at the time he was writing in 2003, but, despite the short length of the text, he covers an impressive amount of ground. While, personally, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to those already well versed in queer theory, I would definitely use this in the future when looking for readings to give to undergraduates or interested non-academics. Hall manages to present the often convoluted theories and language of the more post-modern/structuralist kind with a clarity and accessibility that I think many readers just starting out with queer theory would find enjoyable and easy to read. His bibliography also offers some great sources to explore for those interested in reading the primary texts and theorists he draws from.

[Levantino · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a very general introduction to queer theories. One significant point Hall highlights is that there is not a single queer theory, but queer theories, which very much befits the nature of this theoretical framework.
There are much better introductions to queer theories than Hall's.

[Liz Derrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these essays go at certain points into theory high enough to go quite over my head, but overall I found Queer Theories to be a useful and worthwhile text.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably some of the cleanest academic writing I have ever seen, and a brilliant thinker. Also a great guy.