So I know the Israeli/Palestinian conflict doesn't get much coverage
on this list, but I was wondering if anyone on here had read his
Desiring Arabs?
In true Foucault-esque fashion, he analyzes the perceptions of
same-sex relations in the Arab world under the influence of modernity
and how that configured the way various Arab intellectuals approached
nonhetero relationships among them, ranging from secular to Islamist,
as well as the dangerous missteps the modern Gay rights movement makes
in enforcing its own discourse on non-western forms of same-sex
relationships.
I bring this up because many non-academic social commentators not used
to critical theory and more exposed to Massad's outspoken views on the
Israeli/Palestine conflict, accuse the book of "denying gays exist in
the Arab world" and undermining the fight against discrimination by
focusing on what they believe to be "trivials".
Does this view necessarily hold? How important does anyone on here
think it must be to emphasize the risks of a common "gay movement" on
alternate sexual identities? I would be tempted to affirm such a
critique but, as mainstream critics argue, is such a critique really
"trivial" in the grand scheme of things relating to sexual rights in
the Middle East?
Love to hear your thoughts on this.
--
Chetan Vemuri
West Des Moines, IA
aryavartacnsrn@xxxxxxxxx
(319)-512-9318
"You say you want a Revolution! Well you know, we all want to change the world"
on this list, but I was wondering if anyone on here had read his
Desiring Arabs?
In true Foucault-esque fashion, he analyzes the perceptions of
same-sex relations in the Arab world under the influence of modernity
and how that configured the way various Arab intellectuals approached
nonhetero relationships among them, ranging from secular to Islamist,
as well as the dangerous missteps the modern Gay rights movement makes
in enforcing its own discourse on non-western forms of same-sex
relationships.
I bring this up because many non-academic social commentators not used
to critical theory and more exposed to Massad's outspoken views on the
Israeli/Palestine conflict, accuse the book of "denying gays exist in
the Arab world" and undermining the fight against discrimination by
focusing on what they believe to be "trivials".
Does this view necessarily hold? How important does anyone on here
think it must be to emphasize the risks of a common "gay movement" on
alternate sexual identities? I would be tempted to affirm such a
critique but, as mainstream critics argue, is such a critique really
"trivial" in the grand scheme of things relating to sexual rights in
the Middle East?
Love to hear your thoughts on this.
--
Chetan Vemuri
West Des Moines, IA
aryavartacnsrn@xxxxxxxxx
(319)-512-9318
"You say you want a Revolution! Well you know, we all want to change the world"