In this discussion with Alexander Stoffel, author of Eros and Empire, they dive into the intricate links between queer liberation and Marxist theory. Stoffel reveals how desire can serve as a tool against imperialism and capitalism, exploring the rich histories of LGBTQ activism, from Stonewall to Black lesbian feminism. He argues for solidarity beyond nationalistic boundaries, and how capitalism distorts personal aspirations. The conversation highlights the ongoing struggles for queer and trans liberation and emphasizes the importance of an anti-capitalist perspective.
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insights INSIGHT
Desire and the Bourgeois State
Marx’s analysis of capitalism abstracts from specific desires, focusing instead on the laws of capital.
Desire plays a crucial role in reproducing the myths of the bourgeois state and its claim to universal rights.
insights INSIGHT
Consumerism and National Ideals
Post-war mass consumption redefined workers as consumers linked to the nuclear family ideal.
Marginalized groups who failed to conform were excluded and denied economic and social advantages.
In this book, Herbert Marcuse integrates Freud's psychoanalytic theories with Marx's concepts of alienation and oppression to argue that modern capitalism prevents individuals from achieving true freedom. Marcuse examines the dialectical conflict between the 'life instinct' (Eros) and the 'death instinct' (Thanatos), and he proposes the idea of a 'non-repressive civilization' where the pleasure principle and the reality principle are reconciled. The book is a critical analysis of Western civilization, challenging the widespread repression of instincts and imagining a utopian society that emphasizes liberation and play[1][3][4].
A dying colonialism
A dying colonialism
Frantz Fanon
No Future
Lee Edelman
In 'No Future', Lee Edelman argues for a queer ethics that rejects the dominant political discourse of futurity, which he sees as centered on the figure of the child. He advocates for queers to embrace their status as figures of negativity, aligning with irony, jouissance, and the death drive. This stance is presented as a radical alternative to the politics of accommodation and reproductive futurism.
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What happens when queer liberation becomes entangled with the myths of the nation-state? In this episode, we speak with Alexander Stoffel about his new book Eros and Empire, which traces the transnational roots of sexual freedom movements in the U.S. From gay liberation to Black lesbian feminism and AIDS activism, Stoffer shows how desire has been both constrained by and mobilized against imperial and capitalist systems. Together, we explore how a Marxist approach to desire can open new paths for solidarity beyond the boundaries of the bourgeois state.
Eros and Empire: https://www.sup.org/books/politics/eros-and-empire
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