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Copson, Lynne and Boukli, Avi
(2020).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895820932210
Abstract
Drawing on the concept of utopia to reflect upon the emerging field of queer criminology and José Esteban Muñoz’s account of queer theory as essentially utopian, we draw two conclusions. First, we suggest that queer criminology is currently limited by tinkering at the edges with piecemeal reforms instead of focussing on radical, wholesale changes, and second, that queer theory contains within it the potential for a more holistic reimagining of the social world. In doing so, we question rigid cis/trans binaries and reject accounts of trans/gender that ignore the role of structural harm. We draw on Ernst Bloch’s concepts of ‘abstract’ and ‘concrete’ utopia to suggest that while queer criminology has succeeded in producing largely ‘abstract’ utopias, it struggles in translating these into ‘concrete’ ones. By introducing examples of trans literary utopias as potential transformative cultural forms, however, we consider the potential of queer theory for realising ‘concrete’ utopia through a more radical rethinking of the social world.
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About
- Item ORO ID
- 70852
- Item Type
- Journal Item
- ISSN
- 1748-8966
- Keywords
- Gender deception; literary dystopias; queer criminology; queer theory; utopia
- Academic Unit or School
-
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) > Social Sciences and Global Studies > Social Policy and Criminology
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) > Social Sciences and Global Studies
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) - Research Group
-
Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative (HERC)
Global Challenges and Social Justice - Copyright Holders
- © 2020 Lynne Copson, © 2020 Avi Boukli
- Depositing User
- Avi Boukli