Eros re-rooted : the possibilities of interpreting Diotima's speech

The thesis sets out to explore the gender-implications of the eros-concept elaborated in Diotima’s Symposium speech. While seeking the possibilities of interpreting Diotima’s teaching, the paper also presents an interpretation of my own. I propose that Alcibiades’ speech may serve as a prism that highlights the Dionysiac side of Diotima’s eros. The project is realized in an interdisciplinary manner. The philosophy of sexual difference, modem hermeneutics, as well as methods from literary theory and classical philology are employed. The feminist endeavor of re-reading the philosophical canon has brought about several interpretations of the Symposium, which often seem methodologically incompatible with one another. One of the main arguments of the thesis is that these clashing approaches may be reconciled via Gadamer’s model of dialogue and a joint use of their methodologies may be achieved through applying Wolfgang Iser’s theory of interpretation. The first part of the thesis problematizes these theoretical issues through a comparative analysis of two feminist readings of Diotima’s speech, those of Luce Irigaray and Andrea Nye. The second part investigates the gender-aspects of Diotima’s speech. An analysis of Alcibiades’ speech shows how the Dionysiac plays an important role in understanding Diotima’s eros and in unfolding its gender implications via the philosophy of sexual difference. The notion of sexual difference enables the analyst to recognize Diotima as a male consruct of a female image that Plato creates in order to appropriate the female experience of birth to his philosophy. The problem areas dealt with in this section are the mimetic male desire for female experience, immortality, and the figure of the birth-giving male. Alongside Adriana Cavarero’s work, the thesis is an attempt to “snatch” back the feminine discourse of Diotima’s speech from its male-centered symbolic surroundings through the figure of Dionysus

In Pursuit of Social Justice at the Postmodern Turn: Intersectional Activism through the Lens of the Ecosexual Movement

In this study, I examine the development of the ecosexual movement, a social movement that begins at the intersection of environmental and sexual struggles, from its inception in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Previous research suggests intersectionality in social movements often ends up being divisive because it emphasizes difference. Using a mixed qualitative methods design including ethnographic field work, interviews, and content analysis of related web and print materials, I analyze how the ecosexual movement negotiates intersectionality. I found the ecosexual movement links processual notions of environmental justice and sexual justice through a dominant collective action frame of queer, erotic, “irreverent environmentalism” (Seymour 2012; 2018) and “eco-camp” (Whitworth 2019) that resonates in a time of mainstream apocalyptic narratives. The use of disruptive strategies incorporating a celebratory style of collaborative experimental art, radical performance, and other absurd, creative, sensual, emotive, visceral tactics facilitates moving away from modern binary or dichotomous “either/or” ideology starting with the human/nature division. The ecosexual movement not only challenges modern hierarchical dualisms that frame issues as a struggle between two opposing sides, it opens participatory space for creating potential alternative models that demonstrate an embodied example of the postmodern alternative cultural discourse and social organization that situates all humans in “humanity” and humans in nature, the dialectic of humanity-in-nature (Moore 2015)

NATURAL HYSTERIA (a queer response to ecocide): An exercise in Living Art, Participatory Rituals and Queer Ecology -or- How I discovered Geyserbird, the Transgender Shaman within

Resumen Natural Hysteria... es una investigacio'n basada en una pra'ctica transdisciplinaria que documenta el proceso de produccio'n de un ciclo de performances basadas en el texto: rituales, presentaciones teatrales, acciones callejeras y presentaciones de video, canciones y talleres. Es una respuesta arti'stica al deterioro de nuestro medio ambiente y los ataques contra la diversidad cultural y biolo'gica que esta'n llevando a cabo un sistema capitalista basado en la acumulacio'n de riqueza a toda costa que nos esta' llevando al borde de un colapso ecolo'gico. Se procede a trave's de un ana'lisis de otras pra'cticas arti'sticas disidentes que comparten una perspectiva queer, feminista, postcolonial o ecolo'gica que las vincula a los conceptos explorados en mi trabajo para contextualizarlo en el campo expandido de las artes contempora'neas. La "histeria" alternativa que forma la base conceptual de este proyecto tiene sus inicios en los albores de la edad moderna y traza una historia de dominacio'n de los "otros": se centra principalmente en las mujeres, en el ge'nero y en los disidentes sexuales, las personas de color y los animales. La explotacio'n de los recursos naturales y humanos es una consecuencia de una cosmovisio'n basada en el establecimiento de oposiciones binarias que permiten que el "otro" sea clasificado y dominado. Por ejemplo: hombre / mujer, blanco / negro, hetero / homosexual, cultura / naturaleza. La construccio'n de estos "otros" - "femenino", "nativo", "queer", "naturaleza" - excluye a estos sujetos de la construccio'n de una identidad dominante que, sin embargo, depende de estas categori'as para su existencia. En el Renacimiento, los campos de las ciencias y las humanidades no estaban separados. La visio'n mecanicista del mundo no habi'a superado por completo las creencias paganas en la magia y en una fuerza espiritual que reside en todos los seres. Esta visio'n era una reliquia de la era precristiana y finalmente seri'a erradicada por las fuerzas unidas del Estado y la Iglesia a trave's de los procesos de la Inquisicio'n, la caza de brujas, la colonizacio'n y la nueva religio'n de la "Ciencia". Todos estos procesos han producido un gran cambio en nuestra relacio'n con la naturaleza, que en la actualidad se considera una entidad totalmente inerte. La naturaleza ya no forma parte de nuestro ser y se ha convertido simplemente en materia prima. La colonizacio'n continu'a hoy bajo una poli'tica neoliberal que utiliza el concepto de desarrollo para requisar territorio de los pueblos indi'genas a fin de explotar sus recursos naturales. Esto se justifica clasificando estas personas como primitivas porque su modo de vida se basa en vivir en equilibrio con la naturaleza. La funcio'n de una pra'ctica arti'stica poli'ticamente comprometida es desafiar la nocio'n de que no existe una alternativa al sistema actual. El marco teo'rico y arti'stico de esta investigacio'n ha conducido al desarrollo de un alter ego performativo, el chama'n transge'nero Geyserbird, y a la configuracio'n de una serie de performances que incluye rituales participativos, instalaciones con presencia y la reapropiacio'n queer de espacios industriales abandonados. El chama'n transge'nero es un ser espiritual que va ma's alla' de las limitaciones del sistema de ge'nero binario y se conecta con las culturas indi'genas. El despliegue de esta figura en un contexto contempora'neo invita al pu'blico a imaginar otras posibilidades para si' mismos y para nuestra sociedad.Abstract Natural Hysteria... is a trans-disciplinary practice led investigation which documents the process of production of a cycle of text based performances -rituals, street actions, theatrical presentations, and video presentations, songs and workshops. It is an artistic response to the deterioration of our environment and the attacks on cultural and biological diversity being carried out by a capitalist system based on the accumulation of wealth at all costs which is leading us to the border of an ecological collapse. It proceeds through an analyses of other dissident artistic practices which share a queer, feminist postcolonial or ecological perspective linking them to the concepts explored in my work in order to contextualise it in the expanded field of the contemporary arts. The alternative "hysteria" that forms the conceptual basis of this project has its beginnings in the dawn of the modern age and traces a history of domination of those "others": focusing mainly on women, gender and sexual dissidents, people of colour and animals. The exploitation of natural and human resources is a consequence of a worldview based on the establishment of binary oppositions that allow the "other" to be classified and dominated. For example: man / woman, white / black, hetero / homosexual, culture / nature. The construction of these "others" - the "feminine", the "native", the "queer", "nature" - excludes these subjects from the construction of a master identity that, nevertheless, depends on these categories for its existence. In the Renaissance the fields of the sciences and the humanities were not separated. The mechanistic view of the world had not completely overcome pagan beliefs in magic and in a spiritual force which resides in all beings. This vision was a relic of the pre-Christian era and would finally be eradicated by the united forces of State and Church through the processes of the Inquisition, the witch hunts, colonization and the new religion of "Science". All of these processes have produced a huge change in our relationship with nature, currently seen as a totally inert entity. Nature is no longer part of our being and has became nothing more than raw material. Colonisation continues today under a neoliberal politics which uses the concept of development to requisition territory from indigenous people in order to exploit its natural resources. This is justified by qualifying these people as primitive because their way of life is based on living in equilibrium with nature. The function of a politically engaged artistic practise is to challenge the notion that no alternative exists to the current system. The theoretical and artistic framework of this investigation has led to the development of a performative alter ego, the transgender shaman Geyserbird, and to the configuration of a series of performances which included participatory rituals, installations with presence and the queer appropriation of abandoned industrial spaces. The transgender shaman is a spiritual being who goes beyond the limitations of the binary gender system and connects to indigenous cultures. The deployment of this figure in a contemporary context, invites the public to imagine other possibilities for themselves and for our societyResum Natural Hysteria... e's una investigacio' basada en una pra¿ctica transdisciplina¿ria que documenta el proce's de produccio' d'un cicle de performances basades en el text: rituals, presentacions teatrals, acciones al carrers i presentacions de vi'deo, canc¿ons i tallers. E's una resposta arti'stica a la deteriorament del nostre medi ambient i els atacs contra la diversitat cultural i biolo¿gica que esta¿ duent a terme un sistema capitalista basat en l'acumulacio' de riquesa costi el que costi que ens esta¿ portant a la vora d'un col·lapse ecolo¿gic. Es procedeix a trave's d'una ana¿lisi d'altres pra¿ctiques arti'stiques dissidents que comparteixen una perspectiva queer, feminista, postcolonial o ecolo¿gica que les vincula amb els conceptes explorats en el meu treball per contextualitzar-ho en el camp expandit de les arts contempora¿nies. La "histe¿ria" alternativa que forma la base conceptual d'aquest projecte te' els seus inicis en les albors de l'edat moderna i trac¿a una histo¿ria de dominacio' dels "altres": se centra principalment en les dones, en el ge¿nere i en els dissidents sexuals, les persones de color i els animals. L'explotacio' dels recursos naturals i humans e's una consequ¿e¿ncia d'una cosmovisio' basada en l'establiment d'oposicions bina¿ries que permeten que l'"altre" sigui classificat i dominat. Per exemple: home / dona, blanc / negre, hetero / homosexual, cultura / naturalesa. La construccio' d'aquests "altres" - "femeni'", "natiu", "queer", "naturalesa" - exclou aquests subjectes de la construccio' d'una identitat dominant que, no obstant aixo¿, depe'n d'aquestes categories per a la seua existe¿ncia. En el Renaixement, els camps de les cie¿ncies i les humanitats no estaven separats. La visio' mecanicista del mo'n no havia superat per complet les creences paganes en la ma¿gia i en una forc¿a espiritual que resideix en tots els e'ssers. Aquesta visio' era una reli'quia de l'era precristiana i finalment seria eradicada per les forces unides de l'Estat i l'Esgle'sia a trave's dels processos de la Inquisicio', la cac¿a de bruixes, la colonitzacio' i la nova religio' de la "Cie¿ncia". Tots aquests processos han produi¿t un gran canvi en la nostra relacio' amb la naturalesa, que en l'actualitat es considera una entitat totalment inerta. La naturalesa ja no forma part del nostre e'sser i s'ha convertit simplement en mate¿ria preval. La colonitzacio' continua avui sota una poli'tica neoliberal que utilitza el concepte de desenvolupament per a requisar territori dels pobles indi'genes a fi d'explotar els seus recursos naturals. Aixo¿ es justifica classificant aquestes persones com a primitives perque¿ la seua manera de vida es basa en viure en equilibri amb la naturalesa. La funcio' d'una pra¿ctica arti'stica poli'ticament compromesa e's desafiar la nocio' que no existeix una alternativa al sistema actual. El marc teo¿ric i arti'stic d'aquesta investigacio' ha condui¿t al desenvolupament d'un alter ego performatiu, el xaman transge¿nere Geyserbird, i a la configuracio' d'una se¿rie de performances que inclou rituals participatius, instal·lacions amb prese¿ncia i la reapropiacio' queer d'espais industrials abandonats. El xaman transge¿nere e's un ser espiritual que va me's enlla¿ de les limitacions del sistema de ge¿nere binari i es connecta amb les cultures indi'genes. El desplegament d'aquesta figura en un context contemporani convida al pu'blic a imaginar altres possibilitats per a ells mateixos i per a la nostra societat.Bell, G. (2018). NATURAL HYSTERIA (a queer response to ecocide): An exercise in Living Art, Participatory Rituals and Queer Ecology -or- How I discovered Geyserbird, the Transgender Shaman within [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/111925TESI

Non-monogamies and the space of discourse theorizing the intersections of non/monogamy and intimate privilege in the public sphere

This dissertation uses genealogical discourse analysis to unpack recent Western conceptions of monogamy and non-monogamy in the public sphere. Beginning from the premise that discourses surrounding monogamy and non-monogamy (taken together as a system of non/monogamy) have come into particular prominence in recent years, this dissertation deploys a thread of queer theory focused on the study of broader conceptions of "intimacy" to explore the ramifications of such a prominence in the public sphere. More specifically, drawing on theorizations of spatiality (Temporary Autonomous Zones, Mapping/Reterritorialization, Heterotopia) and the concept of "privilege", I formulate the theoretical lens of "intimate privilege" to explore how non/monogamy is distributed throughout, takes up, and creates forms of intimate space. In exploding the overly-simple notion that monogamous sexuality is societally privileged, while non-monogamies are marginalized, I show how while there is a societal meta-narrative that centres monogamy, it is really the intersectionality of non/monogamy with other forms of privilege/oppression that truly locates a subject practicing (or connected to) non-monogamous intimacy as having intimate privilege, defined as the emergent state in which one's intimacies hold societal privilege. Engaging in theoretical and discursive analyses of the contemporary public sphere presences of three major forms of non-monogamy (adultery, polygamy and polyamory) through texts such as journalistic articles, policy documents, self-help literature, television programs and Internet sites, I continue the academic discussion surrounding non-monogamies that is just beginning to come into its own in the fields of social science and humanities, as well as to complicate less-nuanced discourses on non/monogamy that are circulating more broadly in the public sphere