London Review Bookshop Podcast Paul B. Preciado & Nathalie Olah: Dysphoria Mundi
Nov 5, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Paul B. Preciado, a groundbreaking writer and philosopher, explores themes from his latest work, Dysphoria Mundi. He argues that dysphoria is not a mental illness but an epistemic rupture that reflects the limitations of current societal norms. Nathalie Olah, a skilled journalist and critic, guides the conversation, delving into the implications of somatic politics and the political nature of knowledge. They also discuss the historical constructs of binary sex and how queer resistance can serve as a model for broader societal change.
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Knowledge From The Marginalised Position
- Publishing his gender-dysphoria diagnosis reclaims the right to produce knowledge about oneself.
- Paul B. Preciado treats that marginalised position as a productive crack for new philosophy and politics.
Dysphoria As An Epistemic Rupture
- Dysphoria is reframed as an epistemic pain emerging when you stop identifying with capitalist, racial and sexual categories.
- That rupture creates political opportunity rather than merely a personal pathology.
Epistemic Regimes Shape Humanity
- An epistemic regime is a shared technology that produces truth, techniques, and verification apparatuses.
- Changing bodies' status requires transforming laws, measuring techniques and verification systems that define humanity.
