#715 Lee Edelman - No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive

RECORDED ON MAY 12th 2021.
Dr. Lee Edelman is Fletcher Professor of English Literature at Tufts University. Dr. Edelman began his academic career as a scholar of twentieth-century American poetry. He has since become a central figure in the development, dissemination, and rethinking of queer theory. His current work explores the intersections of sexuality, rhetorical theory, cultural politics, and film. He is the author of books like No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive; and Sex, or the Unbearable.

In this episode, we focus on No Future. Topics include: the relationship between symbolism and politics; the “Child”; reproductive futurism; fighting for the children; queerness and politics; sinthomosexuality; a culture of death; anti-homosexuality and anti-abortion movements; and antinatalism.

Time Links:
00:00 Intro
00:46 The relationship between symbolism and politics
02:48 The Child
05:14 Reproductive futurism
08:12 Fighting for the children
12:31 The child as an end that is endlessly postponed
14:25 Queerness and politics
22:13 Sinthomosexuality
32:28 A culture of death
35:02 Anti-homosexuality and anti-abortion movements
44:58 Antinatalism
51:24 Follow Dr. Edelman’s work!

Follow Dr. Edelman’s work:
Faculty page: https://bit.ly/3yTu8Ta
No Future: https://amzn.to/37OF4oR