Sex, Paranoia, and Modern Masculinity

Kenneth Paradis

Description

Sex, Paranoia, and Modern Masculinity explores how twentieth-century conceptions of paranoia became associated with the excessive or unregulated exercise of masculine intellectual tendencies. Through an extended analysis of Freudian metapsychology, Kenneth Paradis illustrates how paranoid ideation has been especially connected to the figure of the male body under threat of genital mutilation or emasculation. In this context, he also considers how both midcentury detective fiction (especially the work of Raymond Chandler) and contemporaneous autobiographies of male-to-female transsexuals negotiate the terms of this gendered understanding of psychopathology, thus articulating their own notions of moral value, individual autonomy, and effective agency.

Introduction: Paranoia and the sex of modern individuality

1. Modern narratives of paranoia

2. Freudian metapsychology and the sex of paranoia

3. Paranoia as Popular Heroism: Hard-boiled Moral Masculinity

4. Sex, Subjectivity and Male-to-Female Transsexual Autobiography

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Sexualité
• sexualité
• Sexualité
• Gender studies
• Literary theory

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791480878
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

sex, paranoia, and

kennethparadis

modern

masculinity

sex,

paranoia,

and

modern

masculinity

SUNY series in Psychoanalysis and Culture

Henry Sussman, Editor

sex, paranoia a , nd

kennethparadis

modern

masculinity

Published by S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y o f N e w Y o r k P r e s s Albany

© 2007 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address State University of New York Press 194 Washington Avenue, Suite 305, Albany, NY 122102384

Production and book design, Laurie Searl Marketing, Michael Campochiaro

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Paradis, Kennet.  Sex, paranoia, and modern masulinity / Kennet Paradis.  p. cm. -- (SUNY series in psycoanalysis and culture)  Includes bibliograpical references and index.  ISBN-13: 978-0-7914-6933-0 (ardcover : alk. paper)  ISBN-10: 0-7914-6933-6 (ardcover : alk. paper)  1. Sex role -- Psycological aspects. 2. Paranoia. 3. Sex (Psycology) 4. Masculinity. 5. Transsexualism. I. Title. II. Series.  HQ1075.P375 2006  616.89'700866--dc22

2006003067

All quotes and excerpts in tis document fall under te provisions of te “fair use” copyrigt exemption.

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Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Paranoia and the sex of modern individuality

Modern narratives of paranoia

Freudian metapsychology and the sex of paranoia

Paranoia as Popular Heroism: Hard-boiled Moral Masculinity

Sex, Subjectivity and Male-to-Female Transsexual Autobiography

Notes

Bibliography

Index

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For

B and te aged peas, te girl, te bean, te brat, and te boy.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

FOR a project tat as been around as long and in as many sapes as tis one, adequate acknowledgement is impossible. But I’ll start wit te money. he bills for substantial parts of tis book were funded by an Ontario Graduate Scolarsip, Social Sciences and Humanities Researc Council of Canada doc- toral and postdoctoral fellowsips, and by researc funds and resources made available to me at McMaster, SUNY Buffalo, and finally Dalousie Universi- ties: all of tese elped me gater and keep tings togeter over te years writ- ing tis book, and teir support was ricly appreciated. Aside from providing valuable advice, Jim Brasc and Joe Sigman proved, for me, tat scolarly acu- men need not preclude a well-grounded umanity, and, apart from er conver- sation elping sape te outlines of some of te book’s first arguments, Toril Moi demonstrated, for me, te way an active intelligence can ground a vigor- ousjoie de vivre.Joe Adamson seperded te project troug its first several incarnations, and David Clark provided some of te most bracing, onest and useful feedback. hanks to Imre Szeman wo ad a knack of stepping in at key moments, and to Henry Sussman wose consistent and continuous friendsip and support for tis project buoyed it—and me—up wen I felt sure it—and me—were going to sink. At SUNY Press, Alan Hewat’s meticulous attention to detail scoured te manuscript clean, and Jim Peltz and Laurie Searl ave to be tanked for teir patience and professionalism—especially after te finised manuscript refused to arrive in Albany, aving been disappeared in te interstice between Canada Post and te U.S. postal service (te tougt of wic makes me dread my next crossing of te U.S. border). To te staff at te Second Cup on te Hamilton Sout Mountain, were te book was largely written, and te Coburg cafe in te Halifax Sout End, were it was largely rewritten, I can only say tanks for all te ceap refills, quiet corners and poacable wireless. To Andy Wainwrigt, Todd McCallum and all te oters, colleagues, graduate students and friends over te years wo ave read and provided feedback on various sections of te book: eac provided insigt, sober second tougt, criti- cism constructive and coddling at te points wen eac was necessary. hey all did teir best, but te errors tat remain, are, of course, my own.

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