Puar Critique Michigan7 2015

8/19/2019 Puar Critique Michigan7 2015

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t'e “rivate*" 6'is rivate, as 1omen of co!or and transnationa! feminists 'ave ointed out, 'as never >uite e3istedgiven t'e !eve! of state bureaucratic and administrative resence in t'e 'ouse'o!ds of immigrants and eo!e ofco!or* Dne interest of mine is connecting t'e securiti)ation usurge t'at occurred after ?%## 1it' t'e formation of =ome!andSecurity to bot' ear!ier and more recent discourses of security t'at revo!ve around t'e “'ome," and in articu!ar t'e 'ome assomet'ing rivate, nationa!, and safe* So before t'e War on 6error 1e 'ad t'e War on rugs t'is rationa!i)ed o!icing in t'e nameof safe 'omes, in @!ac2 communities in articu!ar* 6'e War on rugs no doubt rovided a domestic b!uerint for t'e foreignde!oyment enacted after Setember ##t'* 6'is is one connective oint to ?%##* Anot'er connective tissue to ?%## is t'e financia!crisis of $EEF, 1'ic' 1as not a brea2 from t'e securiti)ation of t'e 'ome and 'ome!and, but a manifestation of one of its tactica!fai!ures, t'at of securing t'e 'ome economica!!y* 8 t'in2 $EEF mar2s t'e end of t'e “ost ?%## moment and recom!icates t'e“5us!im terrorist" as t'e redominate target of survei!!ance tec'no!ogies and discourses* Survei!!ance 'aensHob!i>ue!y, but it'aensHt'roug' t'e instrument of t'e subrime mortgage, 1'ereby once again t'e security and safety of t'e 'ome is determinedt'roug' t'e survei!!ance of t'ose sub+ects deemed financia!!y susect* 8n t'is case, redominant!y @!ac2 and Catino ou!ations

1ere sub+ect to forec!osures* Survei!!ance and securiti)ation economies 1or2 t'roug' a sort of moneti)ation of onto!ogyHcertain bodies are intrinsica!!y ris2y investments via a circu!ar !ogic of recarity 1'ereby t'ese bodiesare set u as unab!e to ta2e on ris2 in t'e very system t'at roduces t'em as ris2y* 6'is 2ind ofconnective ana!ysis !in2s various 2inds of figures t'at emerge as targets of e3!icit survei!!anceHin t'e case of ?%##, a re!igious figure,t'e fundamenta!ist terroristHto t'e ongoing systems of survei!!ance t'at bubb!e underneat'* Dne ana!ysis t'at 8 offer in 6errorist

Assemb!ages is t'e irony of t'e decrimina!i)ation of sodomy in t'e Ca1rence decision of $EE, a ru!ing t'at ivotedaround t'e rivati)ation of ana! (and t'us 'omose3ua!- se3 1it'in t'e sanctity of t'e rivate!yo1ned 'ome* 6'is 1as at a time 1'en =ome!and Security 1as re>uiring registration of men from 5us!im countries,infi!trating mos>ues, enacting 'ome deortationsH+ust genera!!y disruting and 'a!ting t'e construction of any

2ind of rivate 'ome*Dne interretation, t'en, of 1'o e3act!y t'e

Ca1rence decision rotects is not somuc' t'e !esbian or gay or 'omose3ua! or >ueer sub+ect, but rat'er one 1'ose rivate 'ome 'asno reason to be susected and is not susicious* 6'e construction of “intimacy," as it is anc'oredin t'e rivate, becomes instrumenta!i)ed 1it'in t'e ca!cu!us of bioo!itics, a measure of one’s

1ort' to t'e state* 6'e “democrati)ation" of survei!!ance t'roug' net1or2s of contro! demands 1e ay even greater attention to t'e uneven distribution of disci!ining, unis'ment, and!easure* /osmo!ogics W'at frame1or2s 'ave you found t'e most come!!ing for understanding t'e e3erience of survei!!ancein 1ays more sensitive to !ived rea!ity, esecia!!y given t'e many 1ays 1e ourse!ves articiate in survei!!ance4 Jasbir Puar 8 'ave

a!1ays been bemused about t'e debates regarding socia! media and rivacy* Dutrage over t'e intrusion of rivacy ractices on7aceboo2 and 61itter erut 1it' regu!arity* @ut rat'er t'an mere!y e3ressing discomfort and nosta!gia about a !onggone rotected

rea!m of t'e rivate, t'ese debates a!so obfuscate an uncomfortab!e trut' t'at 7aceboo2 tas into our innersta!2er,tas into t'e !easures 1e reve! in by survei!!ing ot'ers and by !iving out our o1n “rivates" inub!ic* 6'ere is a 2ind of affective, tec'nonationa!ist embrace of survei!!ance* So 8 t'in2 t'ere is a

conversation yet to be 'ad about !easure and survei!!ance in re!ation to governmenta!ity, o!icing, and bioo!itics* 6'is !easure is bot' afforded and sub!imated in t'e directive to survei! on be'a!f of atriotism, t'e War on 6error, and “America*" Given t'eubi>uity of survei!!ance in our everyday !ivesH1e t'in2 not'ing of u!!ing out ce!! 'ones to cature on video any number of eventst'at may une3ected!y unfo!d in front of us, from car accidents to incidents of o!ice bruta!ity to 1eat'er 'enomena to gang raesHit t'en is 'ard!y a stretc' for a university administration (in t'is case, Rutgers University- to resent t'e ossibi!ity of insta!!ingcameras in c!assrooms as a rotective measure and as t'e natura! course of t'e norma!i)ation of survei!!ance* Df course, t'ein'abitation of suc' !easures is uneven and !in2ed to t'e differentia! effects of survei!!ance uon different bodies and communities*

So t'e >uestions in front of us togg!e bet1een “ 1'o is being survei!!ed, and based on t'e assumtion of 1'ato!itica!%dissident%deviant >ua!ities4" to “is everyone being survei!!ed, and if so, 1'at is done 1it' t'e survei!!ance4 =o1 aret'e !ines dra1n bet1een !easure and unis'ment4" 6'e “democrati)ation" of survei!!ance t'roug' net1or2s of contro! demands 1eay even greater attention to t'e uneven distribution of disci!ining, unis'ment, and !easure* Ga)a 1i!! be urorted!y beunin'abitab!e by year $E$EHaccording to 1'ose metric, and by 1'ic' redictive, re'ensive a!gorit'ms4 /osmo!ogics =o1 do you

understand survei!!ance as 'aving c'anged recent!y , and 1'at do you see as t'e c'a!!enges it 1i!! ose in t'e future4 JasbirPuar Dne tendency 8 'ave a!so been trac2ing is t'e move from resonsive to reemtive to “re'ensive"securiti)ation* 6'e re'ensive is a 1ay of t'in2ing about ca!cu!ations of ris2 and t'e functioning of survei!!ance t'at considers

more t'an 'o1 survei!!ance otentia!!y reemts un1anted outcomes t'roug' t'e disci!ining of some as a 1arning to a!!, andt'roug' t'e recruitment of t'e genera! ou!ace in t'e tas2 of 1atc'ing* Rat'er t'e re'ensive is about ma2ing t'eresent !oo2 e3act!y t'e 1ay it needs to in order to guarantee a very secific and singu!aroutcome in t'e future*


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$omonationalism has %ustified liberal interventions in foreign countries &recreates biopolitics of the state controlling its population and violations offreedomPuar 1' eartment of Women’s and Gender Studies, Rutgers University, :e1 @runs1ic2,:*J* (Jasbir, $E#I, Ret'in2ing =omonationa!ism, 8nt* J* 5idd!e ued in

various nationa!, activist, and academic conte3ts; giving rise to generative and constructive debate 1as my true intent in 1riting t'e boo2, 1'ic' 1as derived not as a corrective but as an incitement to debate* 6'e !anguage of 'omonationa!ism is aearingin academic and activist ro+ects across :ort' America, ueer communities, 'omonationa!ism is fundamenta!!y a dee criti>ue of !esbian and gay


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rost'etic; t'e intimacy of "eapon "ith body reorients t'e assumed spatial integrity(co'erence and concreteness- and individuality of t'e body t'at is t'e mandate ofintersectional identities instead "e have the body0"eapon * 6'e onto!ogy of t'e bodyrenders it a ne"ly becoming body 6'e candidate for martyrdom transforms his or her body into a mask t'at 'ides t'e

soon0to0be0detonated "eapon * Un!i2e t'e tan2 or t'e missi!e t'at is c!ear!y visib!e, t'e 1eaon carriedin t'e s'ae of t'e body is invisible* hus concealed* it forms part of the body * 8t is sointimate!y art of t'e body t'at at t'e time of its detonation it anni'i!ates t'e body of its bearer, 1'o carries 1it' it t'e bodies of

ot'ers 1'en it does not reduce t'em to ieces* 6'e body does not sim!y concea! a 1eaon* 6'e body is transformedinto a "eapon , not in a meta'orica! sense but in a truly ballistic sense *,#6emora! narratives of progression are upturned as death and becoming fuse intoone as ones body dies, one7s body becomes t'e mask , t'e "eapon , t'e suicide bomber * :ot on!y does t'e ba!!istic body come into being "ithout the aid of visual cues

mar2ing its transformation, it a!so 6carries "ith it the bodies of others.6 8ts o1n enetrativeenergy sends s'ards of meta! and torn f!es' sinning off into t'e et'er* 6'e body1eaon does not !ay asmeta'or, nor in t'e rea!m of meaning and eistemo!ogy, but forces us onto!ogica!!y ane1 to

as2 W'at 2inds of information does t'e ba!!istic body imart4 6'ese bodies, being in t'e midstof becoming , blur t'e insides and t'e outsides , infecting transformation t'roug'sensation , echoing kno"ledge via reverberation and vibration * 6'e ec'o is a >ueertemora!ityin t'e re!ay of affective information bet1een and amid beings, t'e se>uence of ref!ection, reetition, resound, andreturn (but 1it' a difference, as in mimicry-and brings fort' 1aves of t'e future brea2ing into t'e resent* Gayatri Siva2, rescientin dra1ing our attention to t'e mu!tiva!ent te3 tua!ity of suicide in O/an t'e Suba!tern Sea2,O reminds us in 'er !atest ruminations

t'at suicide terrorism is a moda!ity of e#pression and communication for t'e suba!tern(t'ere is t'e radiation of 'eat, t'e stenc' of burning f!es', t'e imact of meta! uon structuresand t'e ground, t'e s!attering of b!ood, body arts, s2in-Suicida! resistance is a message inscribed on t'e body 1'en no ot'er means 1i!! get t'roug'* 8t is bot' e#ecution andmourning , for bot' self and other * 7or you die 1it' me for t'e same cause, no matter

"hich side you are on * @ecause no matter 1'o you are, t'ere are no designated 2i!!ees in suicide bombing* :o matter 1'at side you are on, because 8 cannot ta!2 to you, you 1ont resond to me, 1it' t'e im!ication t'at t'ere is no dis'onor in suc's'ared and innocent deat'* IN

We 'ave t'e roosa! t'at there are no sides , and t'at the sides are forever shifting ,crumpling , and multiplying , disappearing and reappearing , unable to satisfactori!ydelineate bet1een here and there * 6'e satia! co!!ase of sides is due to t'e !ueertemporal interruption of t'e suicide bomber, pro%ectiles spe"ing every "hich "ay * Asa !ueer assemblage distinct from t'e >ueering of an entity or identity race and se#uality aredenaturali8ed t'roug' t'e impermanence , t'e transience of the suicide bomber , t'efleeting identity re!ayed bac21ard through its dissolution * 6'is dissolution of selfinto others and other into self not on!y effaces t'e absolute mark of self and others

in t'e 1ar on terror, but roduces a systemic challenge to the entire order ofManichaean rationality t'at organi8es the rubric of good versus evil * e!ivering Oa messageinscribed on t'e body 1'en no ot'er means 1i!! get t'roug',O suicide bombers do not transcend or c!aim t'e rationa! nor accet t'edemarcation of t'e irrationa!* Rat'er, t'ey foreground t'e f!a1ed temora!, satia!, and onto!ogica! re sumtions uon 1'ic' suc'

distinctions f!ouris'* 5rganic and inorganic , flesh and machine , t'ese 1ind u as importantas (and er'as as t'reatening- if not more so t'an t'e symbolism of the bomber and 'isor 'er defense or condemnation*7igure $ is t'e :ovember%ecember $EE cover of a maga)ine ca!!ed Jest =umor for t'e 8rreverent, distributed for free in@roo2!yn (see a!so +est *com- and ub!is'ed by a grou of countercu!ture artists and 1riters* =ere 1e 'ave t'e fu!! force of t'emista2en identity conundrum t'e distinctive si!'ouette, indeed t'e rofi!e, 'ar2ing to t'e visib!e by !itera!!y b!ac2ing it out, of t'eturbaned Amritd'ari Si2' ma!e (Ce*, turban and uns'orn beard t'at signa!s bati)ed Si2's-, rendered (mista2en!y4- as a (5us!im-suicide bomber, re!ete 1it' dynamite t'roug' t'e vibrant u!sations of an iPod ad* 7u!!y modern, animated t'roug' tec'no!ogies of


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1nc (identity)

heir conception of embodiment and identity presumes an intersection ofpositions from "hich to demand accountability—this rendering of the social fieldreproduces disciplinary po"er and locks us into the grid of positionality*

preventing changePuar 3. Jasbir Puar, rofessor of 1omen’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, u2eUniversity Press ur'am, :/ and Condon, U0, g* $##

6'ere is no entity, no identity, no !ueer sub%ect or sub%ect to !ueer , rat'er >ueernesscoming fort' at us from a!! directions, screaming its defiance, suggesting a move fromintersectionality to assemblage , an affective cong!omeration t'at recogni)es ot'ercontingencies of be!onging (me!ding, fusing, viscosity, bouncing- t'at mig't not fa!! so easi!y into 1'at issometimes denoted as reactive community formations identity o!iticsby contro!t'eorists* 6'e assemb!age, a series of disersed but mutua!!y im!icated and messy net1or2s,dra1s toget'er enunciation and disso!ution, causa!ity and effect, organic and nonorganic forces *7or e!eu)e and Guattari,

assemb!ages are co!!ections of mu!ti!icities6'ere is no unity to serve as a ivot in t'e ob+ect, or to divide in t'e sub+ect* 6'ere is not even t'e unity to abort int'e ob+ect, or OreturnO in t'e sub+ect* A mu!ti!icity 'as neit'er sub+ect nor ob+ect, on!ydeterminations, magnitudes, and dimensions t'at cannot increase in number 1it'out t'emu!ti!icity c'anging in nature (t'e !a1s of combination t'erefore increase as t'e mu!ti!icity gro1s -**** An assemb!ageis recise!y t'is increase in t'e dimensions of a mu!ti!icity t'at necessari!y c'anges in nature as it e3ands its connections*

here are no points or positions **** 6'ere are on!y !ines*$# s opposed to an intersectional model of identity, 1'ic' resumes t'at comonentsrace,c!ass, gender, se3ua!ity, nation, age, re!igionare searab!e ana!ytics and can t'us bedisassemb!ed, an assemb!age is more attuned to inter1oven forces t'at merge and dissiatetime, sace, and body against !inearity, co'erency, and ermanency *$$ 8ntersectiona!ity demandst'e 2no1ing, naming, and t'us stabili8ing of identity across sace and time, re!ying on t'e!ogic of e>uiva!ence and ana!ogy bet1een various a3es of identity and generating narratives ofrogress t'at deny t'e fictive and erformative asects of identification you become an identity,

yes, but a!so time!essness 1or2s to conso!idate t'e fiction of a seam!ess stab!e identity in everysace* 7urt'ermore, t'e study of intersectiona! identities often invo!ves ta2ing imbricatedidentities aart one by one to see 'o1 t'ey inf!uence eac' ot'er, a rocess t'at betrays t'efounding imu!se of intersectiona!ity, t'at identities cannot so easi!y be c!eaved * We can t'in2 ofintersectiona!ity as a 'ermeneutic of ositiona!ity t'at see2s to account for !oca!ity, secificity, !acement, +unctions* s a tool

of diversity management and a mantra of liberal multiculturalism* intersectiona!itycolludes "ith the disciplinary apparatus of t'e state census, demogra'y, racia!rofi!ing, survei!!ance in t'at OdifferenceO is encased 1it'in a structura! container t'at sim!y

1is'es t'e messiness of identity into a formu!aic grid, roducing ana!ogies in its 1a2e andengendering 1'at 5assumi names Ogrid!oc2O a Obo3Qing into its site on t'e cu!ture ma*O =e

e!aborateshe idea of positionality begins by subtracting movement from t'e icture* 6'is catc'es t'e

body in cu!tura! free)eframe* 6'e oint of e3!anatory dearture is a inointing, a )ero ointof stasis* W'en ositioning of any 2ind comes a determining first* movement comes aproblematic second **** Df course, a body occuying one osition on t'e grid mig't succeed inma2ing a move to occuy anot'er osition**** @ut t'is doesnt c'ange t'e fact t'at 1'at defines t'e body isnot t'e movement itse!f, on!y its beginnings and endoints**** 6'ere is Odis!acement,O but no


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transformation; it is as if t'e body sim!y !eas from one definition to t'e ne3t* *** O6'e sace oft'e crossing, the gaps bet"een positions on t'e grid, fa!!s into a t'eoretica! nomans !and*O@5any feminists, ne1 socia! movement t'eorists, critica! race t'eorists, and >ueer studiessc'o!ars 'ave argued t'at socia! c'ange can occur on!y t'roug' t'e precise accountability toand for position%ing* @ut identity is uneart'ed by 5assumi as t'e com!e3ity of rocess sacrificed

for t'e OsuretyO of roduct*

8n t'e sti!!ness of osition, bodies actua!!y !ose t'eir caacity formovement, for f!o1, for (socia!- c'ange* =ig'!ig'ting t'e Oarado3es of assage and osition,O5assumi ma2es t'e case for identity aearing as suc' on!y in retrosect a OretrosectiveorderingO t'at can on!y be O1or2ing bac21ards from t'e movements end*O Again from 5assumiOGender, race and se3ua! orientation a!so emerge and bac2form t'eir rea!ity , *** Grids 'aen*o social and cultural determinations feed back into the process from "hich they

arose * 8ndeterminacy and determination, c'ange and free)eframing, go toget'er*O$

hat ultimately positions the 1ac as a "ill to truth that fi#es sub%ects in place andenables the logic of the "ar on terror. ssemblages are a prior !uestion becausethey constitute the field of emergence for sub%ectivities.Puar 3. Jasbir, rofessor of 1omen’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, u2e University Press ur'am, :/ and Condon, U0, g* $#

Cin2ed to t'is is 1'at 5assumi ca!!s Oontogenetic differenceO or Oontogenetic riority,O a concett'at rescrits temora!ity e3terior to t'e s'eer administrative units t'at are mobi!i)ed to caturet'e ot'er1ise unru!y rocesses of a body 6o say t'at assage and indeterminancy 6come first6 or Oare rimaryO is more a statement ofonto!ogica! riority t'an t'e assertion of a time se>uence* 6'ey 'ave onto!ogica! rivi!ege in t'esense t'at t'ey constitute t'e field of emergence , 1'i!e ositionings are "hat emerge * 6'etric2 is to e3ress t'at riority in a 1ay t'at resects t'e insearabi!ity andcontemoraneousness of t'e dis+unct dimensions t'eir ontogenetic difference* And !ater O6'e fie!d of emergence is not pre0social * 8t is oenended!y socia!* *** Dne of t'e t'ingst'at t'e dimension of c'ange is ontogenetica!!y rior to is t'us t'e very distinction bet1een

individua! and t'e co!!ective, as 1e!! as any given mode! of t'eir interaction* 6'at interaction is recise!y 1'at ta2esform*O 6'e given mode!s of interaction 1ou!d be t'ese bifurcated distinctions bet1een t'e body and t'e socia! (its signification-suc' t'at t'e distinctions disaear* 5assumis move from onto!ogy (being, becoming- to ontogenesis is a!so re!evant to 'o1 'e

discusses affect and cognition and t'e rocesses of t'e body O7eedbac2 and feed for1ard, or recursivity, inaddition to converting distance into intensity, fo!ds t'e dimensions of time into eac' ot'er* 6'efie!d of emergence of e3erience 'as to be t'oug't of as a sacetime continuum, as anontogenetic dimension rior to t'e searatingout of sace and time* Cinear time, !i2e ositiongridded sace, 1ou!d be emergent >ua!ities of t'e event of t'e 1or!ds se!f re!ating* O $ K6'is ontogenetic dimension t'at is OriorO but not OreO c!aims its riorness not t'roug'temora!ity but t'roug' its onto!ogica! status as t'at 1'ic' roduces fie!ds of emergence; t'erior and t'e emergence are nevert'e!ess Ocontemoraneous*O ODnto!ogica! riorityO is a temora!ity and asatia!i)ation t'at 'as yet to be imagined, a roerty more t'an a bounded ness by sace and time* 6'e ontogenetic dimension t'atarticu!ates or occuies mu!ti!e temora!ities of vectors and !anes is a!so t'at 1'ic' enab!es an emergent bifurcation of time andsace*

8dentity is one of affect, a capture t'at rooses 1'at one is by mas2ing its retrosectiveordering and t'us its ontogenetic dimension 1'at one 1as t'roug' t'e guise of an i!!usoryfuturity 1'at one is and 1i!! continue to be * =o1ever, t'is is anyt'ing but a re!ay bet1eenstasis and f!u3; osition is but one derivative of systems in constant motion, !ined 1it' erratictra+ectories and unru!y ro+ecti!es* 8f t'e ontogenetic dimensions of affect render affect as riorto reresentationrior to race, c!ass, gender, se3, nation, even as t'ese categories mig't be t'emost ertinent maing of or reference bac2 to affect itse!f'o1 mig't identityasretrosectiveordering am!ify rat'er t'an in'ibit ra3es of o!itica! organi)ing4 8f 1e transfer our energy , our


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turbu!ence, our momentum from t'e defense of t'e integrity of identity and submit instead to t'is affectiveideation of identity, "hat kinds of political strategies* of 6politics of the open end*66might "e unabashedly stumble upon Rat'er t'an re'as'ing t'e ros and cons of identity o!itics, can 1e t'in2 instead of affective o!itics4is!acing >ueerness as an identity or moda!ity t'at is visib!y, audib!y, !egib!y, or tangib!y evident

t'e seeming!y >ueer body in a Ocu!tura! free)eframeO of sortsassemb!ages a!!o1 us to attune tomovements, intensities, emotions, energies, affectivities, and te3tures as t'ey in'abit events,satia!ity, and cororea!ities* 8ntersectiona!ity rivi!eges naming, visua!ity, eistemo!ogy, reresentation,and meaning, 1'i!e assemblage underscores fee!ing, tacti!ity, onto!ogy, affect, and information* 7urt'er, in t'e s1ay from disci!inary societies (1'ere t'e anotic Ofunctioned rimari!y in termsof ositions, fi3ed oints, and identitiesO- to contro! societies, t'e diagram of contro!, 5ic'ae! =ardt 1rites, is Ooriented to1ard mobi!ity and anonymity * * * * 6'e f!e3ib!e and mobi!e erformances ofcontingent identities, and t'us its assemb!ages or institutions are e!aborated rimari!y t'roug'reetition and t'e roduction of simu!acra* O$? ssemblages are thus crucial conceptualtools t'at a!!o1 us to ac2no1!edge and comre'end o1er beyond disciplinaryregulatory models , 1'ere Oartic!es, and not arts, recombine, 1'ere forces, and notcategories, c!as'* OIE

5ost imortant, given t'e 'eig'tened deat' mac'ine asect of nationa!ism in our contemorary o!itica! terraina 'eig'tenedsensoria! and anatomica! domination indisensab!e to 5bembes necroo!iticsassemb!ages 1or2 against narrativesof U*S* e3cetiona!ism t'at secure emire, c'a!!enging t'e fi3ity of racia! and se3ua! ta3onomiest'at inform ractices of state survei!!ance and contro! and befuddling the 6us versus them6of t'e 1ar on terror* (Dn a more cynica! note, t'e recent 1or2 of uestion of!iterature as suc', t'is essay invites us to ret'in2 a more rofound re!ation bet1een b!ac2ness and 1riting*

At some distance from traditiona! 5ar3ist t'eory, e!eu)e and Parnet insist 1e re+ect any account of !iteratureas an “imaginary representation” of rea! conditions (!iterature as ideo!ogy- in order toconsider 1riting as a roduction at t'e !eve! of rea! conditions*#E Writing, 1'ic' is to say theunleashing of the creative force of becoming in !anguage (a !ine of f!ig't-, is not fina!!yreducible to a!ready e#isting historical conditions , because suc' an act invo!ves the


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@ut escaing t'e e3isting dominant socia! order on “!ines of f!ig't" H given t'e vo!ati!e intensities t'ey assertin t'e 1or!d H carries a real danger * 8n A 6'ousand P!ateaus e!eu)e and Guattari (Q#?FE #?FK $$?- note t'e ris2of “t'e !ine of f!ig't crossing t'e 1a!!, getting out of t'e b!ac2 'o!es, but instead ofconnecting 1it' ot'er !ines and eac' time augmenting its va!ence, turns to destruction ,abolition ure and sim!e, the passion of abolition *" =ere, a restricted concept of

abolition , understood sim!y as t'e destruction of t'e e3isting social order , runs t'e ris2of transforming t'e “!ine of f!ig't" into a line of death * 7or t'is reason t'e issue of escae mustnot stop at negation “ure and sim!e" but become one of construction and theaffirmation of life * And it is for t'is reason t'at t'e effort to connect “!ines of f!ig't" and to comoseconsistencies across t'ese !ines becomes a matter of o!itics an affirmation of a o!itics ofreconstruction as t'e immanent condition of abo!ition* Jac2son (Q#?KE #?? I$F- 1rote from rison“=on


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the violent conditions of life7s impossibility , t'e Oimossibi!ity of ma2ing a !ife* OO 6'is body forces a reconciliation of opposites t'roug' t'eir inevitab!e co!!ase a erverse'abitation of contradiction* Ac'i!!e 5bembes and bri!!iant meditation on necroo!itics notes t'at t'e 'istorica! basis of sovereignty t'at isre!iant uon a notion of (1estern- o!itica! rationa!ity begs for a more accurate framing t'at of!ife and deat', t'e sub+ugation of !ife to t'e o1er of deat'* 5bembe attends not on!y to t'e reresentationa! but a!so to t'e informationa! roductivity of t'e (Pa!estinian- suicide bomber* Pointing to t'e becomings of a suicide bomber, a cororea! e3erientia! of Oba!!istics,O 'e as2s, O W'at !ace is given to !ife, deat', and t'e'uman body (esecia!!y t'e 1ounded or s!ain body-4O Assemb!age 'ere oints to the inability

to c!ear!y de!ineate a temporal* spatial* energetic* or molecular distinction bet1een adiscrete biological body and technology ; t'e entities , particles , and elements cometogether , flo" , break apart , interface , skim off each other , are never stable , but aredefined t'roug' t'eir continua! interface, not as ob+ects meeting but as multiplicitiesemerging from interactions* 6'e dynamite straed onto t'e body of a suicide bomber is not mere!y an aendage orrost'etic; t'e intimacy of "eapon "ith body reorients t'e assumed spatial integrity

(co'erence and concreteness- and individuality of t'e body t'at is t'e mandate ofintersectional identities instead "e have the body0"eapon * 6'e onto!ogy of t'e bodyrenders it a ne"ly becoming body 6'e candidate for martyrdom transforms his or her body into a mask t'at 'ides t'esoon0to0be0detonated "eapon * Un!i2e t'e tan2 or t'e missi!e t'at is c!ear!y visib!e, t'e 1eaon carriedin t'e s'ae of t'e body is invisible* hus concealed* it forms part of the body * 8t is sointimate!y art of t'e body t'at at t'e time of its detonation it anni'i!ates t'e body of its bearer, 1'o carries 1it' it t'e bodies of

ot'ers 1'en it does not reduce t'em to ieces* 6'e body does not sim!y concea! a 1eaon* 6'e body is transformedinto a "eapon , not in a meta'orica! sense but in a truly ballistic sense *,#6emora! narratives of progression are upturned as death and becoming fuse intoone as ones body dies, one7s body becomes t'e mask , t'e "eapon , t'e suicide bomber * :ot on!y does t'e ba!!istic body come into being "ithout the aid of visual cues

mar2ing its transformation, it a!so 6carries "ith it the bodies of others.6 8ts o1n enetrativeenergy sends s'ards of meta! and torn f!es' sinning off into t'e et'er* 6'e body1eaon does not !ay asmeta'or, nor in t'e rea!m of meaning and eistemo!ogy, but forces us onto!ogica!!y ane1 toas2 W'at 2inds of information does t'e ba!!istic body imart4 6'ese bodies, being in t'e midstof becoming , blur t'e insides and t'e outsides , infecting transformation t'roug'sensation , echoing kno"ledge via reverberation and vibration * 6'e ec'o is a >ueertemora!ityin t'e re!ay of affective information bet1een and amid beings, t'e se>uence of ref!ection, reetition, resound, andreturn (but 1it' a difference, as in mimicry-and brings fort' 1aves of t'e future brea2ing into t'e resent* Gayatri Siva2, rescientin dra1ing our attention to t'e mu!tiva!ent te3 tua!ity of suicide in O/an t'e Suba!tern Sea2,O reminds us in 'er !atest ruminations

t'at suicide terrorism is a moda!ity of e#pression and communication for t'e suba!tern(t'ere is t'e radiation of 'eat, t'e stenc' of burning f!es', t'e imact of meta! uon structuresand t'e ground, t'e s!attering of b!ood, body arts, s2in-Suicida! resistance is a message inscribed on t'e body 1'en no ot'er means 1i!! get t'roug'* 8t is bot' e#ecution andmourning , for bot' self and other * 7or you die 1it' me for t'e same cause, no matter

"hich side you are on * @ecause no matter 1'o you are, t'ere are no designated 2i!!ees in suicide bombing* :o matter 1'at side you are on, because 8 cannot ta!2 to you, you 1ont resond to me, 1it' t'e im!ication t'at t'ere is no dis'onor in suc's'ared and innocent deat'* IN

We 'ave t'e roosa! t'at there are no sides , and t'at the sides are forever shifting ,crumpling , and multiplying , disappearing and reappearing , unable to satisfactori!ydelineate bet1een here and there * 6'e satia! co!!ase of sides is due to t'e !ueertemporal interruption of t'e suicide bomber, pro%ectiles spe"ing every "hich "ay * As


14/69

a !ueer assemblage distinct from t'e >ueering of an entity or identity race and se#uality aredenaturali8ed t'roug' t'e impermanence , t'e transience of the suicide bomber , t'efleeting identity re!ayed bac21ard through its dissolution * 6'is dissolution of selfinto others and other into self not on!y effaces t'e absolute mark of self and others

in t'e 1ar on terror, but roduces a systemic challenge to the entire order of

Manichaean rationality t'at organi8es the rubric of good versus evil * e!ivering Oa messageinscribed on t'e body 1'en no ot'er means 1i!! get t'roug',O suicide bombers do not transcend or c!aim t'e rationa! nor accet t'edemarcation of t'e irrationa!* Rat'er, t'ey foreground t'e f!a1ed temora!, satia!, and onto!ogica! re sumtions uon 1'ic' suc'

distinctions f!ouris'* 5rganic and inorganic , flesh and machine , t'ese 1ind u as importantas (and er'as as t'reatening- if not more so t'an t'e symbolism of the bomber and 'isor 'er defense or condemnation*7igure $ is t'e :ovember%ecember $EE cover of a maga)ine ca!!ed Jest =umor for t'e 8rreverent, distributed for free in@roo2!yn (see a!so +est *com- and ub!is'ed by a grou of countercu!ture artists and 1riters* =ere 1e 'ave t'e fu!! force of t'emista2en identity conundrum t'e distinctive si!'ouette, indeed t'e rofi!e, 'ar2ing to t'e visib!e by !itera!!y b!ac2ing it out, of t'eturbaned Amritd'ari Si2' ma!e (Ce*, turban and uns'orn beard t'at signa!s bati)ed Si2's-, rendered (mista2en!y4- as a (5us!im-suicide bomber, re!ete 1it' dynamite t'roug' t'e vibrant u!sations of an iPod ad* 7u!!y modern, animated t'roug' tec'no!ogies of sound and e3!osives, t'is body does not oerate so!e!y or even rimari!y on t'e !eve! of meta'or* Dnce again, to borro1 from

5bembe, it is tru!y a ba!!istic body* 9ontagion , infection , and transmission reign, not meaning *


15/69

link & immigration surveillance

$omonationalist states only tolerate !ueer bodies that are also economically valuable—policies to"ards unskilled "orkers maintain heteronormativity5s"in 14 Professor of Geogra'y at 5cGi!! University (:ata!ie, Sexualities, “Lueer time in

g!oba! city Singaore :eo!ibera! futures and t'e freedom to !ove’" * $ T $K, $E#,'tt%%se3*sageub*com%content%#K%%#$*fu!!*df - . +s Wit' t'is invitation to natura!i)ation, t'e government s'o1s a 1i!!ingness to c'ange t'e com!e3ion of t'enationa! fami!y, !itera!!y as 1e!! as figurative!y* 8t ositions migrants as no !onger sim!y roductive, buta!so socia!!y reroductive members of t'e citystate, stating 9ou and your fami!y members 'ave benefited from 1'at Singaore 'as to offer, +ust as Singaore 'as rogressed and rosered 1it' your !abour and contributions* 8t is time to ta2e aste furt'er and become a art of t'e Singaore fami!y* (Singaore 8mmigration and /'ec2oints Aut'ority, $EEK- 6'is is anot'erone of t'ose controversia! moves t'at t'e PAP is 1i!!ing to ma2e for t'e sa2e of continued roserity and economic gro1t'* As t'eimmigrant ou!ation s1e!!s, 1orries over em!oyment rosects for nonimmigrant Singaoreans, rising income gas and t'enature of Singaore identity in t'is ne1 cosmoo!is 'ave been 1e!! articu!ated in !oca! ub!ic discourse* 8ndeed, ou!ar dis!easureover t'is ne1 osition on immigration is ac2no1!edged as one of severa! re!ated reasons 1'y t'e PAP 'ad its 1orst ever s'o1ing in

t'e $E## genera! e!ection*# 8nc!uded among t'ose voicing t'eir dissatisfaction are members of t'e CG@6community* 6'ey are troub!ed by t'e ossibi!ity t'at t'e ne1 officia! stance of to!erance to1ards'omose3ua!ity is mere!y a ragmatic move to !acate t'e resumed desire of foreign ta!ent’ for a

diverse urban e3erience and, furt'er, t'ey ta2e issue 1it' t'e fact t'at 1'i!e Singaorean gays and!esbians are denied fu!! citi)ens'i, foreign migrants T articu!ar!y t'ose forming 'eterose3ua!fami!ies T are invited in to 'e! reroduce t'e nation, cast as 'arbingers of a brig't future for t'ecitystate (see /00 6an, $EE?; 0P 6an, $EEK-* @ut t'ere are ot'er >ueer’ issues at sta2e 'ere* 6'e Singaore government’s us' for

t'e natura!i)ation of immigrants is se!ective* Dn!y certain immigrants are encouraged to natura!i)e andsuitabi!ity is determined in direct re!ation to immigration category * 6'e desired otentia! ne1immigrants’ are, in s'ort, foreign ta!ent’, t'e !oca! immigration category for 'ig'!y s2i!!ed !abour migrants*5ean1'i!e, a!t'oug' government discourse 'as $ Se3ua!ities #K(- o1n!oaded from se3*sageub*com by guest on Ju!y $, $E#centred on t'e need to bring ta!ent’ to t'e citystate, efforts to become a !eading creative city 'ave faci!itated a muc' !arger inf!u3 of

foreign 1or2ers’, t'e Singaore government’s term for !ess s2i!!ed migrants*#N 6'is !atter grou of migrants 'ai!s fromsuc' countries as t'e P'i!iines, 8ndonesia, 6'ai!and and @ang!ades'* 6'ey 1or2 !arge!y in t'e domestic service, retai!, and

construction sectors of t'e economy, and, in contrast to foreign ta!ent’, t'ey are definite!y not art of t'egovernment’s !ongterm ou!ation !an, no matter 'o1 !o1 t'e ferti!ity rate gets (9eo', $EEN; 9eo' and /'ang,

$EE#-* As Cee 0uan 9e1 'as stated, 7oreign ta!ent 1i!! create more +obs for Singaoreans, 1'i!e foreign 1or2ers 1i!! do +obs !oca!savoid and bear t'e brunt of !ayoffs in a recession’ (Straits 6imes, $EEK-* 6'ey are cast as instrumenta! for and su!ementa! toSingaore society, and are most definite!y not seen as 1ort'y of incororation or integration* As suc', in a range of 1ays, t'e !attergrou is a!!o1ed on!y a furtive resence’ 1it'in t'e citystate in contrast to t'e comarative rootedness en+oyed by foreign ta!ent’(6eo and Pier, $EE? #E-* 5ost significant!y, foreign 1or2ers’ cannot natura!i)e* 7urt'er, t'ey may not buy or rent ub!ic orrivate 'ousing* 5a!e 1or2ers are re>uired to !ive in em!oyerrovided dormitories t'at are cordoned off in various 1ays fromsurrounding neig'bour'oods* 7ema!e domestic 1or2ers must !ive in often cramed >uarters in t'eir em!oyers’ 'omes, and t'eirmobi!ity outside t'e 'ome is severe!y curtai!ed as em!oyers fear t'at maids’ 1i!! run off and t'eir bond aid to t'e government fort'e em!oyees’ 1or2 ass 1i!! be forfeited (9eo' and =uang, $E#E-* 8f a!!o1ed a day off, foreign 1or2ers’ gat'er in articu!ar ub!icareas t'at Singaoreans genera!!y avoid, deriding t'em as 'ysica!!y and socia!!y o!!uted !andscaes’ (9eo' and =uang, #??F-*#K 8n

s'ort, t'roug' a range of disci!inary mec'anisms, foreign 1or2ers’ are cast as inevitab!y a!ien and in need ofstrict survei!!ance and socia! contro!* 5uc' e3isting critica! sc'o!ars'i interrogates t'is foreign ta!ent’%’foreign 1or2er’ distinction (0itiarsa, $EEF; Poon, $EE?; 6eo and Pier, $EE?; 9eo', $EEN-* 6'is 1or2 focuses usefu!!y on t'e c!ass,race and gender biases underinning t'is un+ust !abour regime* 8t e3amines t'e coming toget'er of e!itism,essentia!ist notions of mu!ticu!tura!ism, and ortraya! of !o1s2i!!ed 1or2 as femini)ed to ot'er’ foreign 1or2ers’* 6'ese are usefu!

e3!anations* @ut t'ey are undu!y artia!* 7or t'ey ignore t'e fact t'at, as


16/69

in or outside Singaore ***8f t'e foreign em!oyee is a fema!e foreign em!oyee, t'e foreign em!oyee s'a!! not become regnant orde!iver any c'i!d in Singaore during and after t'e va!idity of 'er Wor2 Permit***6'e foreign em!oyee s'a!! not be invo!ved in anyi!!ega!, immora! or undesirab!e activities, inc!uding brea2ing u fami!ies in Singaore* (Singaore 5inistry of 5ano1er, $EE?-

6'e undesirabi!ity of t'e foreign 1or2er’ is t'us >uite !itera! as t'eir ab+ection is a factor ofse3ua! regu!ation at !east in art* 7urt'er, fre>uent ortraya!s in t'e Singaore media sensationa!i)e se3ua!re!ations'is among foreign 1or2ers as deviant’ and t'ere is muc' evidence t'at t'e ercetion of t'eir domestic!ives as nonnormative domestic !ives affects ub!ic sentiment* 7or instance, a nationa! controversy in $EEF occurred 1'en residents

of an aff!uent rivate 'ousing estate resented a etition to t'e government in ob+ection to a !an to convert an unused formersc'oo! into a dormitory for foreign 1or2ers* As muc' ub!ic debate ensued, concerns raised by t'e residents and interestedcommentators centred around assertions t'at 'ousing 1or2ers in t'e unused sc'oo! 1ou!d !ead to 'ig'er crime rates, an unc!eanenvironment, c'anges to t'e c'aracter of t'e neig'bour'ood, and conf!icts bet1een Singaoreans and foreign 1or2ers because ofcu!tura! differences’* Wit'in t'ese debates, it is significant t'at t'e fact t'at t'e 1or2ers to be 'oused 1ere a!! ma!e and 1it'outfami!ies came u again and again, esecia!!y in resonse to criticisms t'at t'e residents 1e!come foreign ta!ent’ but not foreign 1or2ers’* As one commentator on t'e Straits 6imes forum age ut it t'e e3ats arrive 'ere 1it' t'eir fami!ies and t'ey ut t'eirc'i!dren in sc'oo!s 'ere* 7oreign 1or2ers are in a bac'e!or’ state 1it'out t'eir fami!y* 6'ey are groued toget'er, sing!e men indormitories* 6'e situation is entire!y different* 6'e connotations emanating from foreign sing!e men !iving in dorms in an estate

1'ic' is redominant!y fami!yoriented is on!y too obvious*#F 6'us, foreign 1or2ers’ are not e3c!uded on t'e so!e ground t'att'ey are eit'er 1omen or femini)ed men, or on t'e so!e ground t'at t'ey are racia! or nationa! ot'ers* 6'eir e3c!usion ta2esforce t'roug' >ueering’, t'roug' t'eir roduction as ot'ers 1'o are not a!!o1ed into t'e fami!y,eit'er nationa! or nuc!ear*#? 7oreign 1or2ers’ in Singaore do of course e3ert agency* 6'ey manage to e2e out intimatere!ations'is in t'e constrained saces avai!ab!e, and t'ey often maintain strong bonds to fami!ies !eft be'ind* @ut, as stated by 5ru!a!, a @ang!ades'i migrant >uoted in a rare artic!e in Singaore’s mainstream !oca! ress on t'e difficu!ties t'at foreign 1or2ers’e3erience !oca!!y because of t'eir enforced e3istence outside t'e s'ere of t'e fami!y, Singaore !ove is a!! b!uff b!uff oneV’ (Straits

6imes, $EE?-* 6'eir re!ations'is fa!! outside state sanction, and t'is is a fact t'at 'as rea! materia!conse>uences* 7urt'er, foreign 1or2ers’ are of course not a mono!it'ic grou of 'eterose3ua!sub+ects* 6'ere are sure!y many >ueers, in an identarian or actbased sense, among t'em* @ut desite t'is emirica! rea!ity, t'esa!ient oint is t'at $N Se3ua!ities #K(- o1n!oaded from se3*sageub*com by guest on Ju!y $, $E# t'e Singaoregovernment regu!ates t'em as resumab!y straig't’ figures t'at nonet'e!ess do not factor into t'edominant notion of reroductive futurism* 7oreign 1or2ers’, !i2e gays and !esbians, are cast as on!yroductive and not socia!!y reroductive*$E 6'is re!egates t'is c!ass of migrants to a state ofarrested deve!oment, to !ives !ived async'ronous!y and out of !ace in t'is creative%g!oba! city* As :ayan S'a'argues, transient !aborers aear to e3ist on t'e margins of society, but t'eir treatment isconstitutive of 'o1 normative society defines itse!f’ ($E## $NN-* 8n t'e Singaore case, normative societydefines itse!f as roer!y fami!ia!* @ut around t'at centre, many are stranded in >ueer time*


17/69

link & identity

hey merely shift the focus of normativity* this reinforces binaries upholdingheteronormativity and patriotismJasbir Puar, #E$N$E23, Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at Rutgers

University, P'* in ueers to U*S* nationa! citi)ens'i 1it'in a satia!temora!domain 8 am invo2ing as 'omonationa!ism,’’ s'ort for 'omonormative nationa!ism*’’=omonormativity 'as been t'eori)ed by Cisa uggan as a ne1 neo!ibera! se3ua! o!itics’’ t'at'inges uon t'e ossibi!ity of a demobi!i)ed gay constituency and a rivati)ed, deo!itici)edgay cu!ture anc'ored in domesticity and consumtion*’’ @ui!ding on 'er criti>ue of gay sub+ectsembroi!ed in a o!itics t'at does not contest dominant 'eteronormative forms but u'o!ds andsustains t'em,’’Y 8 am de!oying t'e term 'omonationa!ism to mar2 arrangements of U*S*

se3ua! e3cetiona!ism e3!icit!y in re!ation to t'e nation* 7oucau!t notes t'at t'e !egitimi)ationof t'e modern cou!e is com!icit 1it', rat'er t'an 1or2ing against, t'e outfitting’’ andro!iferation of comartmenta!, circu!ating, and ro3imitysurvei!!ance se3ua!ities, ursued!easures and contacts* We see simu!taneous!y bot' t'e fortification of normative 'eterose3ua!cou!ing and t'e roagation of se3ua!ities t'at mimic, ara!!e!, contradict, or resist t'isnormativity* 6'ese ro!iferating se3ua!ities, and t'eir e3!icit and im!icit re!ations'is tonationa!ism, com!icate t'e dic'otomous im!ications of casting t'e nation as on!y suortiveand roductive of 'eteronormativity and a!1ays reressive and disa!!o1ing of 'omose3ua!ity* 8argue t'at t'e Drienta!ist invocation of t'e terrorist is one discursive tactic t'at disaggregatesU*S* nationa! gays and >ueers from racia! and se3ua! ot'ers, foregrounding a co!!usion bet1een'omose3ua!ity and American nationa!ism t'at is generated bot' by nationa! r'etorics ofatriotic inc!usion and by gay and >ueer sub+ects t'emse!ves 'omonationa!ism* 7orcontemorary forms of U*S* nationa!ism and atriotism, t'e roduction of gay and >ueer bodiesis crucia! to t'e de!oyment of nationa!ism, insofar as t'ese erverse bodies reiterate'eterose3ua!ity as t'e norm but a!so because certain domesticated 'omose3ua! bodies rovideammunition to reinforce nationa!ist ro+ects*


18/69

link & intersectionality

he >ue of 1'at s'e ca!!s “oststructura!ist significatory incarceration,"serious!y >uestioning 1'et'er t'e margina!i)ed sub+ect is sti!! a viab!e site from 1'ic' toroduce o!itics, muc' !ess 1'et'er t'e sub+ect is a necessary recursor for o!itics (/'o1 $EEN, I-*“ifference" roduces ne1 sub+ects of in>uiry t'at t'en infinite!y mu!ti!y e3c!usion in order toromote inc!usion* ifference no1 recedes and defines identity * Part of /'o1’s concern is t'atoststructura!ist efforts to attend to t'e secificity of Dt'ers 'as become a universa!i)ing ro+ectt'at is a!1ays be'o!den to t'e se!f referentia!ity of t'e “center," ironica!!y given t'atintersectiona!ity functions as a ca!! for and a form of antiessentia!ism (@ra' and avis $EE, KN-* 6'e oststructura!ist fatigue /'o1 describes is contingent on t'e fo!!o1ing temora! se>uencing Sub+ect Z may be different incontent, but s'o1s u, time and again, as t'e same in form* (


19/69

Jasbir, P'** in


20/69

link & !ueer inclusion

he affirmative


21/69


22/69

t'an et'nic and re!igious minorities 1it'in and outside its borders* Signifi cant!y, Puar s'o1s 'o1>ueer o!itics can be fue!ed by regu!atory rat'er t'an !iberatory uroses* 8n 'er introduction(“=omonationa!ism and @ioo!itics"-, Puar notes t'at government o!icies around terrorism and academics 1riting about t'eseo!icies roduce a version of >ueerness t'at ab+ects racia! and nationa! minorities* 6'ey do so by ac>uiescing to 1'at Rey /'o1 defines as t'e “ascendancy of 1'iteness," or t'e mobi!i)ing of cu!tura! difference to serve t'e racia!!y dominant ou!ation in t'e UnitedStates* 0ey to t'is ab+ecting rocess is t'e va!ori)ation of secu!arism 8 mentioned* Puar sees t'e 'eig'tening of secu!arism as

indicative of “'omonationa!istic" imu!ses motivated by antiterrorism* S'e de fi nes “'omonationa!ism" as a form of se3ua!

norma!i)ation t'at accets articu!ar forms of 'omose3ua!ity in order to foster American emire“Q6'is brand of 'omose3ua!ity oerates as a regu!atory scrit not on!y of normative gayness,>ueerness, or 'omose3ua!ity, but a!so of racia! and nationa! norms t'at reinforce t'ese sub+ects"($-* A!t'oug' t'e criti>ue of structures of state o1er suc' as t'e mi!itary is unsurrising, 1'at is refres'ing about Puar’s beginning

is t'at it a!so ta2es aim at a articu!ar strand of >ueer t'eory t'at reiterates a fetis'i)ation of >ueere3cetiona!ity as a!1ays a!ready !iberatory or a!1ays a!ready based on a transgressive difference* 6'is fetis'i)ation int'e end e!ides t'e many 1ays t'at >ueer ou!ations are a!so searated by mu!ti!e a!!egiances* 6'us, aside from an automaticassumtion of “>ueer" as nonnormative, Puar as2s 'o1 mig't t'is term be furt'er com!icated by 'istorici)ing >ueerness 1it'in a

U*S* conte3t4 S'e argues t'at !ayered racia! and nationa! af fi !iations are most !egib!e at moments 1'en t'e nationstateneeds to mar2 some bodies as terrorist to ma2e t'ese sub+ects suscetib!e to met'ods ofsurvei!!ance and contro!* =omonationa!ism is e3ceeding!y resent as t'e nation starts to de!oymore net1or2ed tec'no!ogies of o!icing +ustifi ed by internationa! attemts to t'1art terrorism*6'e fi rst c'ater e3ands on 'omonationa!ism* Puar traces t'e r'etorica! strategies de!oyed by !esbian and gay touristorgani)ations, IN RD@


23/69

domination of ostco!onia! sub+ects across t'e g!obe t'roug' arguments against terrorism* 8n one brief but astute moment, Puar oints out t'at 1e 2no1 so muc' about t'e U*S* mi!itary ersona! eretrating t'e abuse, but very !itt!eabout t'e 8ra>i risoners* 6'is !osided overabundance of information suggests a s2e1ed form of 'istoriogra'yH one t'at fi !!s int'e information for t'e U*S* sub+ect in order to argue for t'is fi gure’s une3ected dearture from norms of +ustice and et'ica! be'avior, 1'i!e mar2ing t'e susected terrorist as on!y caab!e of being se3ua!i)ed and vio!ated, and not'ing e!se* 8 fi nd Puar’sattention to t'e seed, forms, and IF RD@ueer sub+ects by secifi c “monumenta!"!iberatory utterances* /'ater I resents a comarative ana!ysis of t'e Ca1rence vs* 6e3as case, 1'ic' uses t'e7ourteent' Amendment rig't to rivacy to overturn t'e crimina!i)ing of sodomy revious!y set fort' in@o1ers vs* =ard1ic2 (#?FK-* 6'is ru!ing a!so ma2es t'e c!aim t'at t'e mora! be!ief t'at ma2es sodomy i!!ega! is outdated, since, int'e 1ords of Justice 0ennedy, 1'o de!ivered t'e ma+ority oinion, “W'en se3ua!ity fi nds overt e3ression in intimate conduct 1it'anot'er erson, t'e conduct can be but one e!ement in a ersona! bond t'at is enduring" (>uoted in Puar, #$I-* Puar bui!ds on t'ecriticism by secifi c feminists and >ueer t'eorists t'at 0ennedy’s notion of >ueer re!ations'is is !imited in terms of its

understanding of 1'at intimacy means* According to t'ese critics, 0ennedy ’s descrition u!timate!y creates t'e boundaries of 1'at counts as va!id domesticity and intimacy for rotection* Puar t'en adds t'at 1'at t'is normative domesticity a!so mar2s are t'e !imitations of citi)ens'i for racia! and et'nicminorities t'at are constant!y under t'e t'reat of survei!!ance because of mu!ti!e anotic structures

(e3acerbated by t'e 1ar on terror-* 6'e notion of rivacy 'as a!1ays been f! eeting for t'ose sub+ected to 1'at s'e refers to as mu!ti!e and boundary!ess forms of detention ('ence ma2ing t'em, in 'er 1ords, “infi nite"-* W'at t'e Sureme /ourt considers as “!asting re!ations'is" erases entire ou!ations of>ueer and racia!i)ed ersons 1'ose intimacies 'ave been dictated by t'e state “Q6'e rivate is a racia!i)ed andnationa!i)ed construct insofar as it is granted on!y to 'eterose3ua!s but to certain citi)ens and 1it''e!d from many ot'ers andnonciti)ens" (#$-*

“Lueerfriend!y" federa! reforms romotes not on!y 'eteronormativity bymar2ing >ueer bodies as “different but e>ua!," but a!so constructs'omonormativity @e"is 11 assistant rofessor of Women and Gender Studies at George 5ason University(Rac'e!, Socia! Justice, “Cesbians under Survei!!ance SameSe3 8mmigration Reform, GayRig'ts, and t'e Prob!em of Lueer Cibera!ism" * ?F, $E#E T $E##,'tt%%111*+stor*org%stab!e%df%#IIN?IK*df - . +s As A!e3ander 'as demonstrated, 'eterose3ua!ity is at once necessary to t'e state’s abi!ity to constituteand imagine itse!f, 1'i!e simu!taneous!y mar2ing a site of its o1n instabi!ity’ (A!e3ander, #??K, * N-*8f, according to binaried se3%gender%desire !ogic, 'omose3ua!ity is t'at 1'ic' s'ado1s t'e instabi!ity of t'enation’s 'eterose3ua!ity , t'en t'at s'ado1 itse!f is not constituted outside of nation'ood, rat'er 1it'in it,around it, 'overing over it* 6'roug' t'e rescrition of 'eteronormative stabi!ity, or s'a!! 8 say security’, t'e matter of t'einsecure becomes 'ig'!ig'ted t'e s'ado1 t'at is 1it'in and outside, t'e interna!!y disci!ined and t'e e3terna!!y >uarantined and banis'ed* 6urning to 7oucau!t’s s2etc' of f!ouris'ing se3ua!ities as a circu!ating se3ua!ity a distribution of oints of o1er,

'ierarc'i)ed and !aced oosite to one anot'er’ (7oucau!t, #?KF, *-, t'e s'ado1 is imagined, fe!t, feared,desired, and in some instances, envisioned, to effective!y function as a t'reat* 6'us 1'i!e >ueer bodies may bedisa!!o1ed, t'ere is room for t'e absortion and management of 'omose3ua!ityHtemora!!y,'istorica!!y, and satia!!y secificH1'en advantageous for US nationa! interests* As

'omonormativity is one of a range of comartmenta! se3ua!ities t'at are to!erated or encouraged’, t'is management is notconsistent and is often on!y directed to1ards certain audiences* As a ro3imity t'at serves assurvei!!ance rocedures’ (7oucau!t, #?KF, *N-, 'omonationa!ism is bot' disci!ined by nation and its'eteronormative underinnings, and a!so effective!y surveys and disci!ines t'ose se3ua!!y erverse

bodies t'at fa!! outside its urvie1 * 6'us t'e US nation not on!y a!!o1s for 'omose3ua! bodies, but a!soactua!!y disci!ines and norma!i)es t'emHsuggesting, in fact, t'e need to attend to t'eori)ations of t'e nationas not on!y 'eteronormative, but a!so 'omonormative* Reading nonnormative gay, 'omose3ua!, and >ueer

bodies t'roug' nation, not against it, is to ac2no1!edge t'at (some- nations are roductive ofnonnormative se3ua!ities, not mere!y reressive of t'em* 6'ere are at !east t'ree de!oyments of US

http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/41336937.pdfhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/41336937.pdf


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'omonationa!ism t'at bo!ster t'e nation #- it reiterates 'eterose3ua!ity as t'e norm (for e3am!e, t'e bid forgay marriage accords an e>ua! but different’ status to >ueers-; $- it fosters nationa!ist 'omose3ua! ositiona!ities

1'ic' t'en o!ice nonnationa!ist nonnormative se3ua!ities; I- it enab!es a transnationa!discourse of US >ueer e3cetiona!ism visa]vis erverse!y racia!i)ed bodies of at'o!ogi)ed nationa!ities, as t'e recent vio!ence in Abu G'raib 'orrifica!!y !ays bareN (and a!so in Sout' Par2, 1'ic' 8 1i!! discuss !ater-

e#ual deviancy "ill never be fully normally normali8ed* it invokes a rage that isabsent even in the "orst of atrocities and paints the deviant as an Cother< to bedestroyedJasbir Puar, #E$N$E23, Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at RutgersUniversity, P'* in i risoners at Abu G'raib is neit'er e3cetiona! nor singu!ar, as many(Secretary of efense ona!d Rumsfe!d and t'e George W* @us' administration, t'e U*S*mi!itary estab!is'ment, and even good !ibera!s- 1ou!d 'ave us be!ieve* We need t'in2 on!y of t'efact t'at so many so!diers 1'o faced rosecution for t'e 8ra>i risoner situation came from

rison guard bac2grounds (reminding us of t'e incarceration ractices 1it'in t'e U*S* risonindustria! com!e3-, !et a!one t'e treatment of Pa!estinian civi!ians by t'e 8srae!i army guards,or even t'e bruta! sodomi)ing of Abner Couima by :e1 9or2 /ity o!ice* :eit'er 'as it beenossib!e to norma!i)e t'e incidents at Abu G'raib as business as usua!’’ even 1it'in t'e tortureindustry* As ub!ic and governmenta! rage a!i2e made c!ear, a !ine 'ad been crossed* W'y t'at!ine is demarcated at t'e !ace of soca!!ed se3ua! tortureHsecifica!!y, vio!ence t'at urorts tomimic se3ua! acts c!ose!y associated 1it' deviant se3ua!ity or se3ua! e3cess suc' as sodomy andora! se3, as 1e!! as S%5 ractices of bondage, !eas'ing, and 'oodingH and not, for e3am!e, att'e s!o1 starvation of mi!!ions due to U: sanctions against 8ra>, t'e deat's of t'ousands of 8ra>icivi!ians since t'e U*S* invasion in Ari! $EEI, or t'e !undering and carnage in 7a!!u+a, isindeed a sectacu!ar >uestion* 6'e reaction of rage, 1'i!e to some e3tent !audab!e, misses t'eoint entire!y, or er'as more generous!y, ustages a denia! of cu!abi!ity* 6'e vio!ence

erformed at Abu G'raib is not an e3cetion to nor an e3tension of imeria!ist occuation*Rat'er, it 1or2s in concert 1it' ro!iferating moda!ities of force, an indisensab!e art of t'es'oc2 and a1e’’ camaign b!uerinted by t'e 8srae!is uon t'e bac2s of Pa!estinian corses*@odi!y torture is but one e!ement in a reertoire of tec'ni>ues of occuation and sub+ugationt'at inc!ude assassinations of to !eaders; 'ouseto'ouse roundus, often invo!vinginterrogations 1it'out interreters; t'e use of tan2s and bu!!do)ers in dense!y ou!atedresidentia! areas; 'e!icoter attac2s; t'e tras'ing and forced c!osure of 'osita!s and ot'errovisiona! sites; and ot'er vio!ences t'at fre>uent!y go against internationa! !ega! standards


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link & !ueer reforms

@egal reforms end in augmented scrutiny of !ueer bodies and uphold other socialhierarchiesJasbir Puar, #E$N$E23, Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at Rutgers

University, P'* in ua!ity for !esbians and gay men are !i2e!y to concentrate increasing!y on t'estrategy of containment*’’ S'e de!ineates severa! areas 1'ere containment tactics mig't be mostefficacious disutes invo!ving c'i!dren, contro! over e3ressive sace, ot'er1ise 2no1n as t'e

ub!ic s'ere, and distinguis'ing t'e resectabi!ity’’ of >ueer re!ations'is t'at reinforce'ierarc'ies of race, c!ass, gender, and citi)ens'i*

@AB movements and decriminali8ation of same0se# relationships are part of theliberalism agenda in hopes of promoting homonationalismPuar ?21' (Jasbir 0*, P'* in ueer emanciation at t'e costof b!inding us to a 'istoricised understanding of t'e crue!!y !ibera! genea!ogies of resentday8ndia*$K Rat'er t'an suggesting t'at t'ese asirations to +oin t'e $#st century, roc!aimed byGoa!an,$F are sim!y versions of 'omonationa!ism as a!ied to t'e 8ndian case, it seems morerudent to note t'e divergences and differences t'at create mu!ti!e 2inds of 'omonationa!isms*

W'at is crucia! to an%t'e ongoing o!itica! strugg!e in mu!ti!e !ocations is not to criti>ue a!onga1aited communityoriented fi!m or t'e efforts of gay and !esbian activists in any nationa!!ocation, but to insist on an a1areness of 'omonationa!ism as an uneven and unredicatab!e


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rocess* =o1 do t'e 'istory of @ritis' co!onia!ism, t'e secific eriodisation of !ibera!isation in8ndia, and t'e uta2e of neo!ibera! c!ass stratification t'at roduces rivi!eged transnationa!net1or2s s'ae 'omonationa!ism as an assemb!age4

-nclusion necessitates e#clusion & hey create a “normal” category of !ueer "hich

reestablishes the heteronormativity that critici8eJasbir Puar, #E$N$E23, Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at RutgersUniversity, P'* in ueer times,Ora2e University Press*

Dne maing of t'e fo!ding of 'omose3ua!s into t'e reroductive va!ori)ation of !ivingH

tec'no!ogies of !ifeHinc!udes t'e contemorary emergence of se3ua!!y e3cetiona!’’ U*S*citi)ens, bot' 'eterose3ua! and ot'er1ise, a formation 8 term U*S* se3ua! e3cetiona!ism*’’


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state of e3cetion 'aunts t'e ro!iferation of e3cetiona! nationa! sub+ects, in a simi!ar vein tot'e erridean 'aunto!ogy in 1'ic' t'e g'osts, t'e absent resences, infuse onto!ogy 1it' adiBerence*X 6'roug' t'e transnationa! roduction of terrorist cororea!ities, 'omose3ua!sub+ects 1'o 'ave !imited !ega! rig'ts 1it'in t'e U*S* civi! conte3t gain significantreresentationa! currency 1'en situated 1it'in t'e g!oba! scene of t'e 1ar on terror* 6a2ing t'eosition t'at 'eterose3ua!ity is a necessary constitutive factor of nationa! identity, t'e out!a1’’

status of 'omose3ua! sub+ects in re!ation to t'e state 'as been a !ongstanding t'eoretica!interest of feminist, ostco!onia!, and >ueer t'eorists* 6'is out!a1 status is mediated t'roug't'e rise during t'e #?FEs and #??Es of t'e gay consumer, ursued by mar2eters 1'o c!aimedt'at c'i!d!ess 'omose3ua!s 'ad enormous disosab!e incomes, as 1e!! as t'roug' !egis!ativegains in civi! rig'ts, suc' as t'e 1ide!y ce!ebrated $EEI overturning of sodomy !a1s rendered int'e Ca1rence and Garner v* 6e3as decision* @y underscoring circuits of 'omose3ua!nationa!ism, 8 note t'at some 'omose3ua! sub+ects are com!icit 1it' 'eterose3ua! nationa!istformations rat'er t'an in'erent!y or automatica!!y e3c!uded from or oosed to t'em* 7urt'er,a more ernicious in'abitation of 'omose3ua! se3ua! e3cetiona!ism occurs t'roug' stagings ofU*S* nationa!ism via a ra3is of se3ua! ot'ering, one t'at e3cetiona!i)es t'e identities of U*S*'omose3ua!ities vis_vis Drienta!ist constructions of 5us!im se3ua!ity*’’ 6'is discoursefunctions t'roug' transnationa! dis!acements t'at suture saces of cu!tura! citi)ens'i in t'e

United States for 'omose3ua! sub+ects as t'ey concurrent!y secure nationa!ist interests g!oba!!y*8n some instances t'ese narratives are e3!icit, as in t'e aftermat' of t'e re!ease of t'e AbuG'raib 'otos, 1'ere t'e c!aims to e3cetiona!ism resonated on many !anes for U*S* citi)ensub+ects mora!!y, se3ua!!y, cu!tura!!y, atriotica!!y*’’ 6'is imbrication of Americane3cetiona!ism is increasing!y mar2ed t'roug' or aided by certain 'omose3ua! bodies, 1'ic' isto say, t'roug' 'omonationa!ism*

hey attempt to categori8e the !ueer body "hich sustains a biopolitical politics ofsameness and encourages a fear of deviance and differenceJasbir Puar, #E$N$E23, Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at RutgersUniversity, P'* in ueernesses (fai!ed 'eteronormativity, assigna!ed by o!ygamy, at'o!ogica! 'omosocia!ity- are a riori ascribed to terrorist bodies* 6'e

t1in rocess of mu!ticu!tura!i)ation and 'eterose3ua!i)ation are codeendent in 1'at Susan0os'y denotes as t'e mor'ing of race into et'nicity,’’ a transmogrification roe!!ed by t'ecu!tivation of 1'ite rivi!ege as co!orb!ind meritocracy*’’ (6'is mor'ing 'as a!so insired t'eo!itici)ation of t'e designation eo!e of co!or*’’- W'i!e /'o1 does not e3!icit!y discuss 1'yracia! frames !ose t'eir sa!ience (and retain denigrated status- in re!ation to mar2etdrivenet'nicity, 0os'y adds t'e accommodation of ne1 immigrants and t'e resurgence of 1'iteet'nicity’’ as come!!ing factors t'at obscure t'e oerations of race and c!ass’’ in transnationa!conte3ts*


28/69

link & !ueer theory

6'e 8dea t'at >ueerness is necessari!y transgressive recreates binaries t'at cature t'e f!uidityof se3ua!ity Jasbir Puar, #E$N$E23, Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at Rutgers

University, P'* in ueer !ibera! binaries of assimi!ation and transgression, secu!arityand re!igiosity4 8f 1e are to resist resistance, reading against t'ese binaries to foreground a

broader array of o1er affi!iations and disaffi!iations t'at are often rife 1it' contradictions'ou!d not rovide ammunition to c'astise, but rat'er generate greater room for se!fref!ection,autocriti>ue, and ma2ing mista2es* 8t is easy, a!beit ainfu!, to oint to t'e conservativee!ements of any o!itica! formation; it is !ess easy, and er'as muc' more ainfu!, to oint toourse!ves as accom!ices of certain normativi)ing vio!ences* 8n sum, 1'at 1e can say about t'emec'anics of >ueerness as a regu!atory frame of bioo!itics inc!udes t'e fo!!o1ing #* Lueernessas automatica!!y and in'erent!y transgressive enacts secific forms of disci!ining and contro!,erecting ce!ebratory >ueer !ibera! sub+ects fo!ded into !ife (>ueerness as sub+ect- against t'e

se3ua!!y at'o!ogica! and deviant ou!ations targeted for deat' (>ueerness as ou!ation-* $* Wit'in t'at orientation of regu!atory transgression, >ueer oerates as an a!ibi for com!icity 1it' a!! sorts of ot'er identity norms, suc' as nation, race, c!ass, and gender, un1itting!y !uredonto t'e ascent to1ard 1'iteness* I* A!!o1ing for com!icities signa!s not t'e fai!ure of t'eradica!, resistant, or oositiona! otentia! of >ueernesses, but can be an enab!ingac2no1!edgment* * @ut conundrums abound even 1it' t'e f!uidity of resistances andcom!icities, for intersectiona! mode!s cannot account for t'e simu!taneous or mu!tifariousresences of bot' or many*


29/69

link & se#,gender surveillance

>niversal* generali8ed solutions eliminating or reforming state systems of se#classification fail—they canuite a fe1 i!es of turt!es* 8n fact, ru!es for se3c!assification are notorious!y contradictory * W'en some individua!s cross borders, 1a!2 into a government office toa!y for benefits, get a driver’s !icense, go to +ai! or rison, sign u for se!ective service, try to get married, or 'ave any interaction 1it' any state actor, t'e se3 c!assification of some eo!e can and often does s1itc' from 5 to 7, or from 7 to 5* uences of t'e fact t'at “t'e state" is not a singu!arentity but mu!ti!e, does not do one t'ing, but many, is not roduced t'roug' one rocess, butmany *$ 8n $E##, a transgender rig'ts grou sued t'e /ity of :e1 9or2, c!aiming t'at its o!icy for se3 rec!assification on birt'certificates is “arbitrary, caricious, discriminatory, and ot'er1ise un!a1fu!*"$N (6'e o!icy re>uires individua!s 1'o 1ant to c'anget'e se3 c!assification on t'eir birt' certificates submit evidence of genita! surgery; t'e trans rig'ts advocates 1anted a differentmetric, one based on gender identity, t'at 1as bac2ed by t'e medica! community*- 6'e suit accused t'e city of utting fort' anumber of contradictory “irrationa!" rationa!es in t'e +ustification for its articu!ar ru!es for se3 c!assification* 8n defending itso!icy, !a1yers for t'e city disuted t'e c!aim t'at its o!icy 1as irrationa!* 6'ey countered t'at “Qt'e e3istence of differentaroac'es to simi!ar rob!ems does not render an agency’s ru!e irrationa!*"$K 6'ese !a1yers understood 1'at advocates did notH

t'at se3 c!assification serves different uroses at different city agenciesHand t'at to ut in !ace asing!e o!icy on se3 rec!assification across a!! city agencies 1ou!d undermine t'e articu!aro!itica! rationa!ities at 1or2 in t'ose o!icies* And it’s t'ose articu!ar o!itica! rationa!ities t'at oug't to receivemore critica! attention* 6o some, t'e $E#$ e!ection stands as a turning oint in t'e >uest for GC@

rig'ts; to ot'ers, it mar2s t'e continuation of a o!itics bent on increasing t'e o1er and reac'of a nationa! security state and eroding t'e !iving standardsHmeasured by economic security, 'ea!t', andmorta!ity ratesHof t'e ou!ation* =o1ever, construing t'e e!ection as resenting a c'oice bet1eenDbama t'e good and Romney t'e bad, or as a batt!e bet1een Dbama t'e notsogreat and Romney t'e bad, e!evatesgrand narratives and concetsHmarriage, t'e stateHover t'e t'ousands of ongoing and>uotidian decisions t'at regu!ate !ife* 6'at sim!ification is understandab!e* 8t’s certain!y muc' easier to ta!2about samese3 marriage t'an to do arc'iva! e3cavations of a!ications of SSA o!icy, to de!ve into t'e crac2s andcrevices of t'e regu!atory state aaratuses* @ut in an artic!e on 7oucau!dian t'eory of t'e state, 6'omas @iebric'erand 7rieder Moge!mann suggest t'at to roduce a “critica! ersective on t'e state" one 'as to “ste


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31/69

link & security,terrorism

+stablishing threats %ustifies violence in the name of fostering life culminating inendless violence against the “terrorist”Jasbir Puar, #E$N$E23, Associate Professor of Women’s & Gender Studies at Rutgers

University, P'* in ueer bodies aff!icted 1it' or t'reatened by t'e 'ivandemic* 7or 7oucau!t, modern bioo1er, emerging at t'e end of t'e eig'teent' century, is t'emanagement of !ifeHt'e distribution of ris2, ossibi!ity, morta!ity, !ife c'ances, 'ea!t',environment, >ua!ity of !ivingHt'e differentia! investment of and in t'e imerative to !ive* 8n

bioo1er, roagating deat' is no !onger t'e centra! concern of t'e state; staving off deat' is*/u!tivating !ife is coe3tensive 1it' t'e sovereign rig't to 2i!!, and deat' becomes mere!y

ref!ective, a byroduct, a secondary effect of t'e rimary aim and efforts of t'ose cu!tivating or being cu!tivated for !ife* eat' is never a rimary focus; it is a negative trans!ation of t'eimerative to !ive, occurring on!y t'roug' t'e transit of fostering !ife* eat' becomes a form ofco!!atera! damage in t'e ursuit of !ife* 6'is distancing from deat' is a fa!!acy of modernity, a'a!!ucination t'at a!!o1s for t'e unimeded 1or2ings of bioo!itics* 8n Society 5ust @eefended’’ 7oucau!t avers, eat' 1as no !onger somet'ing t'at sudden!y s1ooed do1n on!ife, as in an eidemic* eat' 1as no1 somet'ing ermanent, somet'ing t'at s!is into !ife,eretua!!y gna1s at it, diminis'es it and 1ea2ens it*’’`^ @ut!er, transosing t'e 'istorica! frameof 7oucau!t’s e!aboration of bioo1er onto t'e conte3t of contemorary o!itics of !ife and deat',notes t'e irony of 7oucau!t’s untime!y deat' in #?F due to causes re!ated to aids, at t'at time aneidemic on t'e cus of its e3onentia! detonation*` 6'us, @ut!er’s #??$ ana!ysis returns

bodies to deat', secifica!!y >ueer bodies aff!icted 1it' or t'reatened by t'e 'iv virus*`X Wit' a

simi!ar com!aint, a!beit grounded in t'e seeming!y incongruous !ig't of co!onia! andneoco!onia! occuations, Ac'i!!e 5bembe redirects our attention from bioo!itics to 1'at 'eterms necroo!itics*’’ 5bembe’s ana!ysis foregrounds deat' decou!ed from t'e ro+ect of!ivingHa direct re!ation to 2i!!ing t'at renders imossib!e any subterfuge in a 'a!!ucinatingdisavo1a! of deat' in modernityHby as2ing, 8s t'e notion of bioo1er sufficient to account fort'e contemorary 1ays in 1'ic' t'e o!itica!, under t'e guise of 1ar, of resistance, or of t'efig't against terror, ma2es t'e murder of its enemy its rimary and abso!ute ob+ective4’’`Y 7or7oucau!t, massacres are !itera!!y vita! events;` for 5bembe, t'ey are t'e evidence of t'e

bruta!ity of bioo1er’s incitement to !ife*


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imact T in21as'ing

Pink"ashing reifies colonialism in attempt to legitimi8e the states sovereignty0 theaffirmativeuests for deco!onisation* We can a!sosay t'at, 1'i!e t'e 1oman >uestion 'as 'ard!y disaeared, it is no1 accomanied by 1'at 1ecou!d ca!! t'e 'omose3ua! >uestion, indeed yet anot'er variant or oeration of'omonationa!ism* 6'e terms of t'e 1oman >uestion 'ave been redictated, as feminist sc'o!ars'ave no1 become arbiters of ot'er 1omen’s modernities, or t'e modernities of 6'e Dt'er

Woman* 6o reinvo2e Siva2 for t'e $#st century 1'ite >ueer (men- saving bro1n 'omose3ua!sfrom bro1n 'eterose3ua!s* We can see 'o1 t'is moves from t'e 1oman >uestion to t'e'omose3ua! >uestion, and it remains to be conte3tua!ised in t'e various !ocations as to 1'ic' oft'ese tra+ectories ma2e more or !ess sense* 7irst, t'e su!ementing of 'omose3ua!ity to 1omen

resu!ts from t'e merging of t1o rocesses the post0colonial state shoring uprespectability and legitimacy to prove its right to sovereignty to the colonialfatherIN and the folding in or ackno"ledging of homose#ual sub%ects into legaland consumer legitimacy via neoliberal economies , suc' t'at 'omose3ua!s once on t'eside of deat' (A8S- are no1 on t'e side of !ife or are roductive for nationbui!ding* Second,t'e 'omose3ua! >uestion is in fact a reiteration of t'e 1oman >uestion, insofar as it reroducesa demand for gender e3cetiona!ism and re!ies on t'e continua! reroduction of t'e gender

binary* he homose#uals seen as being treated properly by the nation0state are notCgender !ueer


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impact & settler colonialism

=efending homonationalism is %ust an articulation of settler colonialism* modernstructures of se#uality arose as a method of to produce and %ustify settlercolonialism

Mortensen uered 5e3icans after t'e mid nineteent' century, and African Americans during s!avery and t'e Jim /ro1 society, 1ere roduced as racia! and se3ua! ou!ations for nationa! regu!ation*$

Lueers of co!or in suc' conte3ts 1ere targeted for contro!, but as emb!ems of entire racia!ou!ations to be >ueered as t'e rimitive margins of nationa! 1'iteness and its civi!i)ationa!se3ua!ity*I 8n turn, Jennifer 6erry and George /'auncey, among ot'ers, e3!ain 'o1 se3ua! sciences c!assified erversions bydocumenting 1'ite sub+ects as degenerates 1'o 'ad regressed to rior stages of racia! evo !ution* 8n ear!y activism, 1'itese3ua! minorities reversed discourse on se3ua! rimitivity in order to embrace it as a naturedeserving recognition by modern citi)ens'i* 8n t'e United States, =arry =ay organi)ed t'e 5attac'ine Society byreferencing stories of berdac'e as t'e rimitive nature of se3ua! minorities and as a rimitive mode! of accetance t'at modernsocieties cou!d emu!ate H t'emes t'at 1ere sustained in 'omo'i!e and gay and !esbian civi! rig'ts activism*


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?nc turns islamophobia

$omonationalism further entrenches islamophobia & the aff becomes the ne#t %ustification for pink"ashingPuar 1' eartment of Women’s and Gender Studies, Rutgers University, :e1 @runs1ic2,

:*J* (Jasbir, $E#I, Ret'in2ing =omonationa!ism, 8nt* J* 5idd!e ueer commodity cu!ture and 'umanrig'ts aradigms, and broader g!oba! 'enomena suc' as t'e increasing entrenc'ment of8s!amo'obia* 6'ese are +ust some of t'e circumstances t'roug' 1'ic' nationstates are no1 vested 1it' t'e status of “gayfriend!y" versus “'omo'obic*" 6'e conf!ation of 'omonationa!ism and in21as'ing can resu!t in 1e!!intentioned criti>ues or o!itica! stances t'at end u reroducing t'e >ueer e3cetiona!ism of'omonationa!ism in various 1ays* 8t is t'us imortant to ma out t'e re!ations bet1een in21as'ing and'omonationa!ism, or, more recise!y, t'e g!oba! conditions of 'omonationa!ism t'at ma2e a ractice suc' as 8srae!i in21as'ingossib!e and !egib!e in t'e first !ace* 8n connecting 8srae!i in21as'ing to a broader g!oba! system of o1er net1or2s, 8 am

demonstrating t'e myriad of actors t'at converge to enab!e suc' a ractice* Pin21as'ing 'as become a common!y used tag for t'ecynica! romotion of CG@6 bodies as reresentative of 8srae!i democracy* As its use as a s'ort'and ro!iferates, it must be situated 1it'in its 1ider geoo!itica! conte3t* 6'at is to say, in21as'ing 1or2s because bot' 'istory and g!oba! internationa! re!ationsmatter* So 1'i!e it is crucia! to c'a!!enge t'e 8srae!i state, it must be done in a manner t'at ac2no1!edges t'e range of com!icitactors* =istorica!!y sea2ing, sett!er co!onia!ism 'as a !ong 'istory of articu!ating its vio!ence t'roug' t'e rotection of serviceab!e

figures suc' as 1omen and c'i!dren, and no1 t'e 'omose3ua!* Pin21as'ing is on!y one more +ustification forimeria!%racia!%nationa! vio!ence 1it'in t'is !ong tradition of intimate r'etorics around “victim"ou!ations* 7urt'er, 8s!amo'obia 'as ro!iferated since t'e beginning of t'e “1ar on terror," butit a!so redates ?%## in various forms (see, for e3am!e,


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$nc frame1or2

9lassrooms create a uni!ue pedagogical e#perience "here ideologies of @ABidentities can change & if "e canuencesHarticu!ar!y for CG@6 yout'* /!assrooms !ay t'e foundations for an inc!usive andsafe society a +ust community 1'ere common interests and individua! differences coe3ist* 6ot'e e3tent t'at teac'ers, sc'oo! administrators, and co!!ege rofessors create an atmos'ere in

1'ic' difference is not on!y to!erated but e3ected, e3!ored, and embraced, students 1i!! bemore !i2e!y to deve!o ersectives t'at resu!t in resectfu! be'aviors* Wit'out t'e de!iberate

creation of an inc!usive atmos'ere, 'o1ever, "hat happens inside classroom "allsreproduces the pre%udices that e#ist outside these "allsF straightness and gender

conformity are assumedG @AB identity is deviant. Any adu!t interested in creating safesaces for CG@6 yout' needs to consider t'e imact of sc'oo!ing on t'e socia! and syc'o!ogica!deve!oment of young eo!e* 6eac'ers and eers us'er c'i!dren from t'e re!ative rotectionand insu!ation of fami!y !ife into t'e c!assroom, 1'ere (er'as for t'e first time- c'i!drenencounter cu!tura! and et'nic norms different from t'ose of t'eir fami!y* 8f our 'omes areincubators, 2eeing our c'i!dren safe as t'ey gro1 into t'e atterns of fami!y !ife, sc'oo!s are“outcubators"H!aces t'at introduce ne1 1ays of t'in2ing and be'aving* Socia! andsyc'o!ogica! deve!oment rogresses as young eo!e move t'roug' our educationa! systemH2indergarten t'roug' co!!ege*

iscussions about se3ua! orientations are absent from academia T 1e needdiscussions to avoid status >uo dominant socia! atners

Eaccaro* ugust* and ;ennedy 1? & ll Ph=s (Annemarie (eartment of =umaneve!oment and 7ami!y Studies at t'e University of R'ode 8s!and-, Gerri (eartment of


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from e!ementary curricu!a or c!assroom discussions* 6a2e t'e toic of fami!y, for instanceHaunit of study t'at is art of every (or near!y every- ear!y c'i!d'ood curricu!um* 6'e oftstatedob+ective is for c'i!dren to !earn t'at fami!ies come in different s'aes and si)es, !ive in differentd1e!!ings, observe different traditions, and ce!ebrate different 'o!idays* 6eac'ers around ournation narrate stories about sing!earent fami!ies, adotive fami!ies, divorced fami!ies, andfoster fami!ies* 6'e idea is t'at to!erance 1i!! gro1 as students gain areciation for difference*

We can !earn from eac' ot'er and en+oy eac' ot'er’s 1ays of being fami!y* So far, so goodHunti!t'e fami!y is t1o moms and t'eir c'i!dren or t1o dads and t'eir adoted daug'ter* Suc' fami!iesrare!y ma2e t'e curricu!ar cutHt'ey are invisib!e* W'i!e it mig't seem to be t'e safest and !easto!itica! of a!! curricu!um units, t'e study of fami!y can eit'er reinforce or interrut'eteronormative be!iefs and attitudes* 5ost teac'ers are reinforcers* 6'ey teac' t'eir studentst'e status >uo; t'ey s'rin2 from c'a!!enging dominant socia! atterns and e3ectations,esecia!!y in re!ation to se3ua! orientation or gender identity*


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?nc alternative

/e propose an aggressive counter0reading of the technology of suicide terrorismas inherently !ueer. =efiant of the !ualities of sub%ect and ob%ect* rhyme* reason*embodied or disembodiedF death and becoming are achieved in one act. here are

no sides in the global "ar against differenceF only death and life con%oined in thesame radical act. o study the tricky play of the suicide terrorist !ueers the entireassemblage of the body* eviscerating its supposed naturality. =esperation is thera" material of change. Aive up everything to the viral assemblage of !ueerto#icity.Puar 23. Jasbir Puar, rofessor of 1omen’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, u2eUniversity Press ur'am, :/ and Condon, U0, g* $#N

6'e fact t'at 1e aroac' suicide bombing 1it' suc' trepidation , in contrast to 'o1 1earoac' t'e violence of colonial domination , indicates t'e symbolic violence t'atshapes our understanding of 1'at constitutes ethically and politically illegitimate

violence * G'assan =age, O/omes a 6ime We Are A!!


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aendage or rost'etic; t'e intimacy of "eapon "ith body reorients t'e assumed spatialintegrity (co'erence and concreteness- and individuality of t'e body t'at is t'e mandate ofintersectional identities instead "e have the body0"eapon * 6'e onto!ogy of t'e bodyrenders it a ne"ly becoming body 6'e candidate for martyrdom transforms his or her body into a mask t'at 'ides t'e

soon0to0be0detonated "eapon * Un!i2e t'e tan2 or t'e missi!e t'at is c!ear!y visib!e, t'e 1eaon carried in t'e s'ae of t'e body is invisible* hus concealed* it forms part ofthe body * 8t is so intimate!y art of t'e body t'at at t'e time of its detonation it anni'i!ates t'e

body of its bearer, 1'o carries 1it' it t'e bodies of ot'ers 1'en it does not reduce t'em toieces* 6'e body does not sim!y concea! a 1eaon* 6'e body is transformed into a "eapon , not in a meta'orica! sense but in a truly ballistic sense *,#6emora! narratives of progression are upturned as death and becoming fuse intoone as ones body dies, one7s body becomes t'e mask , t'e "eapon , t'e suicide bomber * :ot on!y does t'e ba!!istic body come into being "ithout the aid of visual cues

mar2ing its transformation, it a!so 6carries "ith it the bodies of others.6 8ts o1nenetrative energy sends s'ards of meta! and torn f!es' sinning off into t'e et'er* 6'e body

1eaon does not !ay as meta'or, nor in t'e rea!m of meaning and eistemo!ogy, but forces usonto!ogica!!y ane1 to as2 W'at 2inds of information does t'e ba!!istic body imart4 6'ese

bodies, being in t'e midst of becoming , blur t'e insides and t'e outsides , infectingtransformation t'roug' sensation , echoing kno"ledge via reverberation and

vibration * 6'e ec'o is a >ueer temora!ityin t'e re!ay of affective information bet1een andamid beings, t'e se>uence of ref!ection, reetition, resound, and return (but 1it' a difference, asin mimicry-and brings fort' 1aves of t'e future brea2ing into t'e resent* Gayatri Siva2,rescient in dra1ing our attention to t'e mu!tiva!ent te3 tua!ity of suicide in O/an t'e Suba!ternSea2,O reminds us in 'er !atest ruminations t'at suicide terrorism is a moda!ity of e#pression

and communication for t'e suba!tern (t'ere is t'e radiation of 'eat, t'e stenc' of burningf!es', t'e imact of meta! uon structures and t'e ground, t'e s!attering of b!ood, body arts,

s2in-Suicida! resistance is a message inscribed on t'e body 1'en no ot'er means 1i!! get t'roug'* 8tis bot' e#ecution and mourning , for bot' self and other * 7or you die 1it' me for t'e samecause, no matter "hich side you are on * @ecause no matter 1'o you are, t'ere are nodesignated 2i!!ees in suicide bombing* :o matter 1'at side you are on, because 8 cannot ta!2 to

you, you 1ont resond to me, 1it' t'e im!ication t'at t'ere is no dis'onor in suc' s'ared andinnocent deat'* IN

We 'ave t'e roosa! t'at there are no sides , and t'at the sides are forever shifting ,crumpling , and multiplying , disappearing and reappearing , unable to satisfactori!ydelineate bet1een here and there * 6'e satia! co!!ase of sides is due to t'e !ueertemporal interruption of t'e suicide bomber, pro%ectiles spe"ing every "hich "ay * Asa !ueer assemblage distinct from t'e >ueering of an entity or identityrace and se#uality

are denaturali8ed t'roug' t'e impermanence , t'e transience of the suicide bomber ,t'e fleeting identity re!ayed bac21ard through its dissolution * 6'is dissolution ofself into others and other into self not on!y effaces t'e absolute mark of self andothers in t'e 1ar on terror, but roduces a systemic challenge to the entire order ofManichaean rationality t'at organi8es the rubric of good versus evil * e!ivering Oamessage inscribed on t'e body 1'en no ot'er means 1i!! get t'roug',O suicide bombers do nottranscend or c!aim t'e rationa! nor accet t'e demarcation of t'e irrationa!* Rat'er, t'ey


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foreground t'e f!a1ed temora!, satia!, and onto!ogica! re sumtions uon 1'ic' suc'distinctions f!ouris'* 5rganic and inorganic , flesh and machine , t'ese 1ind u asimportant as (and er'as as t'reatening- if not more so t'an t'e symbolism of the

bomber and 'is or 'er defense or condemnation*7igure $ is t'e :ovember%ecember $EE cover of a maga)ine ca!!ed Jest =umor for t'e

8rreverent, distributed for free in @roo2!yn (see a!so +est *com- and ub!is'ed by a grou ofcountercu!ture artists and 1riters* =ere 1e 'ave t'e fu!! force of t'e mista2en identityconundrum t'e distinctive si!'ouette, indeed t'e rofi!e, 'ar2ing to t'e visib!e by !itera!!y

b!ac2ing it out, of t'e turbaned Amritd'ari Si2' ma!e (Ce*, turban and uns'orn beard t'atsigna!s bati)ed Si2's-, rendered (mista2en!y4- as a (5us!im- suicide bomber, re!ete 1it'dynamite t'roug' t'e vibrant u!sations of an iPod ad* 7u!!y modern, animated t'roug'tec'no!ogies of sound and e3!osives, t'is body does not oerate so!e!y or even rimari!y on t'e!eve! of meta'or* Dnce again, to borro1 from 5bembe, it is tru!y a ba!!istic body* 9ontagion ,infection , and transmission reign, not meaning *

heir arguments about singularity are an unrelenting epistemological "ill to truth* "hich fi#es sub%ects in place through uncomprehending difference. +rr on the sideof ontogenesis. 5nly an approach "hich begins "ith assemblage rather thansingularity can break through the grid of intelligibility that overcodes possible

becomings in the status !uo.Puar 23. Jasbir Puar, rofessor of 1omen’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, u2eUniversity Press ur'am, :/ and Condon, U0, g* $#

Cin2ed to t'is is 1'at 5assumi ca!!s Oontogenetic differenceO or Oontogenetic riority,O aconcet t'at rescripts temporality e#terior to the sheer administrative units t'at aremobili8ed to capture the other"ise unruly processes of a body 6o say t'at assage and indeterminancy 6come first6 or 6are primary6 is more a statementof ontological priority t'an t'e assertion of a time se>uence* 6'ey 'ave onto!ogica! rivi!egein t'e sense t'at t'ey constitute the field of emergence , 1'i!e positionings are "hat

emerge * 6'e trick is to e3ress t'at priority in a 1ay t'at respects t'e inseparabilityand contemporaneousness of t'e dis+unct dimensions their ontogenetic difference *

And !ater O6'e fie!d of emergence is not resocia!* 8t is oenended!y socia!* *** Dne of t'et'ings t'at t'e dimension of c'ange is ontogenetica!!y rior to is t'us t'e very distinction

bet1een individua! and t'e co!!ective, as 1e!! as any given mode! of t'eir interaction* 6'atinteraction is recise!y 1'at ta2es form*O 6'e given mode!s of interaction 1ou!d be t'ese

bifurcated distinctions bet1een t'e body and t'e socia! (its signification- suc' t'at t'edistinctions disaear* 5assumis move from onto!ogy (being, becoming- to ontogenesis is a!sore!evant to 'o1 'e discusses affect and cognition and t'e rocesses of t'e body O7eedbac2 andfeed for1ard, or recursivity, in addition to converting distance into intensity, fo!ds t'edimensions of time into eac' ot'er* 6'e field of emergence of e#perience 'as to be t'oug'tof as a space0time continuum , as an ontogenetic dimension rior to t'e separating0out of space and time * @inear time , !i2e position0 gridded space , 1ou!d be emergent!ualities of t'e event of the "orld7s self0 relating * O $ K6'is ontogenetic dimension t'at is OriorO but not OreO c!aims its riorness not t'roug'temora!ity but t'roug' its onto!ogica! status as t'at 1'ic' roduces fie!ds of emergence; t'erior and t'e emergence are nevert'e!ess Ocontemoraneous*O ODnto!ogica! riorityO is atemora!ity and a satia!i)ation t'at 'as yet to be imagined, a roerty more t'an a boundedness by sace and time* 6'e ontogenetic dimension t'at articu!ates or occuies mu!ti!e


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temora!ities of vectors and !anes is a!so t'at 1'ic' enab!es an emergent bifurcation of timeand sace*-dentity is one of affect , a capture t'at rooses "hat one is by masking itsretrospective ordering and thus its ontogenetic dimension "hat one "as throughthe guise of an illusory futurity "hat one is and "ill continue to be* =o1ever, t'is is

anyt'ing but a re!ay bet1een stasis and f!u3; position is but one derivative of systems inconstant motion , !ined 1it' erratic tra%ectories and unruly pro%ectiles * 8f t'eontogenetic dimensions of affect render affect as prior to representation rior torace , class , gender , se# , nation , even as t'ese categories mig't be t'e most ertinentmaing of or reference bac2 to affect itse!f'o1 mig't identity0as0retrospective0orderingamplify rat'er t'an in'ibit ra3es of political organi8ing4 8f 1e transfer our energy, ourturbu!ence, our momentum from t'e defense of t'e integrity of identity and submit instead tot'is affective ideation of identity, 1'at 2inds of o!itica! strategies, of Oo!itics of t'e oen end,OOmig't 1e unabas'ed!y stumb!e uon4 Rat'er t'an rehashing the pros and cons ofidentity politics , can 1e t'in2 instead of affective politicsis!acing !ueerness as an identity or moda!ity t'at is visibly, audibly , legibly , or

tangibly evidentt'e seeming!y >ueer body in a 6cultural free8e0frame6 of sortsassemblages a!!o1 us to attune to movements , intensities , emotions , energies ,affectivities , and te#tures as t'ey in'abit events, satia!ity, and cororea!ities*8ntersectiona!ity rivi!eges naming, visua!ity, eistemo!ogy, reresentation, and meaning, 1'i!eassemb!age underscores fee!ing, tacti!ity, onto!ogy, affect, and information* 7urt'er, in t'es"ay from disci!inary societies (1'ere t'e anotic Ofunctioned rimari!y in terms ofositions, fi3ed oints, and identitiesO- to control societies , t'e diagram of contro!, 5ic'ae!=ardt 1rites, is Ooriented to"ard mobility and anonymity * * * * 6'e f!e3ib!e and mobi!eperformances of contingent identities , and t'us its assemb!ages or institutions aree!aborated rimari!y through repetition and t'e production of simulacra * O $ ?

Assemb!ages are t'us crucial conceptual tools t'at a!!o1 us to ackno"ledge and

comprehend po"er beyond disciplinary regu!atory models , 1'ere O particles* andnot parts , recombine, 1'ere forces , and not categories, clash * O I E5ost imortant, given t'e 'eig'tened deat' mac'ine asect of nationa!ism in our contemorary o!itica! terraina 'eig'tened sensoria! and anatomica! domination indisensab!e to 5bembesnecroo!iticsassemblages "ork against narratives of >.. e#ceptionalism t'atsecure empire , challenging the fi#ity of racial and se#ual ta#onomies t'at informractices of state surveillance and contro! and befudd!ing t'e 6us versus them6 of the "ar on terror * (Dn a more cynica! note, t'e recent 1or2 of


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Hueer times re!uire even !ueerer modalities of analysis — "e agree that theoriesof radical politics should not be reliant on sub%ectivity* but anything andeverything can be comprehended as an assemblage & indeed* "e can take as itsinspiration the inherently !ueer figure of the suicide terrorist* calling into!uestion the very bases of /estern self0hood* in favor of understanding theinterlockings of bodies as artificially made assemblages

Puar 23. Jasbir Puar, rofessor of 1omen’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, u2eUnive

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Puar Critique Michigan7 2015

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