Touching Feeling: Affect, Pedagogy, Performativity (Series Q)

97 Pages·2002·15.9 MB·English

by  Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick

•
Touching Feeling
AjfrCI, Pl!liagogy, Pnjormalivily
"""
avti KOSOF.IKY SEDGWICK
~~ .. U~IV"STTT .....
for T W.M.
with my ridk./OMS !"'l'
•
c_'-~"""
" ...... .....-"'-<I ....
_ .00 .... ~-
of rm."..,. •• ~",,-,-
..,.. • T".....O-'bJ-n..". .. t<,, __ __
lib<..,. of """"'" C ............ """. .... _ n", _ ..
......... ,......_ofoloo.....,..
u_._
_,,,,.....-...........o. p.I>. of. ..... '" 50,,",.
~O_..,.
_of·. . _,
lo.r".,.. ...-..1.l..w..~ ·,._r'- .._ ' ..n.... C...,...,_.,.
,..,10,.....,.
_JondI c..,.,.,;p e _ ,,_
.... l;-.. . ..,.......JI>!' '""' __ of .......
.... __" -... TNU_
" "'--..." .... ""',""'" C. .. '"
_ n. "", ""'. ...._ _
CONTENTS
............ , ......................... . _• • 1
,
..
Irnroduction ......... .
__ ___ _ lJ
Inl<rluJo. P-ewgogic ..
,. SI'Ilornt. l"heauic:ol"y. and QUttr l'."rfo. ." .tm'1:
Hmry p""",', Thr At! of"" i"<MI.. ... . ....... .. ..·jS
1. Moond ,he ""rforn1>l;~: ""riperform• • h .. Vicin;ties in
........ 67
J Sbarnt 10 the Cyb...-MtOC Fold: Reading Silvan Tomkins
(Wntttn "'ith Ad..m f ... nk)__ .... ..•..• ... .......... ...... ... .."
4. r>. ... noid ~.ding and Rep.roth .. Reading. 0.-. you·. ... So P. ..., "'id.
Yoll I'r<>b.>bly Think Thi$ E.uay Is About You ................... -IOj
So Ped.ogogy of BuJdtnsm .. ... tSJ
_. 8j
Work. Chd _
InJox .......... .
ACItNOWLBOC).I HtlT$
G ... lirude is _, in Sil .... n TomI<ins', t~rms. an a/f~<I bill. rompltJe emo
Tion, Compk% as it is, 10 me it .11O ....m s one of the ",pp~.nd most
limply 5OIf,,..,,,,,rcIing. Mich ..1 Moan hal been the >pur 10 this prt>jNt in
• million ways he will .nd won', "'rogniz.e. each of them. new fo<m of
be.llIy_ a! k:.~ "". .. to me. My odor.1)k p;>rtno., H.I &.Igwick,.nd par.
rn1$, l eon and Rita KoooI"<3<y, ... ,h.nkable beyond thank• . The interlocu.
fOI"> whose: kk •• h. ... provided an endless ",source rOT thi> w()I"k include
St~ph.n lIorbor, Lau",n Be,I'n!. Judilh ~mler. M")' Comphcll. Jonathan
Flatl.y, Adam I'wll" Jon.thon GolJberg, Tim Gould. Do.-;d """,&ky. Joe:
Li,\"O", Melis .. Solomon, Andy P.rt.~r, Cindy Panon, Shannon V.n Wey,
and Josh W~r. Then lhe", .'" Al.n A.,rnw, M.rk Sou e', L. ... me Berry,
Mondy Berry, R.f.eI C.mpo, Tyler Cutt.in. Cathy D.vidoon, Eric OJ'''·
man. Jennifer Do)-le, Denise Fubrook, Cbudi. Conson,,Ioe G<>rdon,Jan<t
Hall.,... Neil Hen~, 1>1 ....... llill,Jim Kincaid, W.yn< Koc:>tenhaum. Nina
Kopc.ky, Song",ln and Noom lUy Koso(,ky, Adam, D.nxl. and Il<><cmary
L<bow. Men:d;'h McCiU. C"'go.y Mem,,,;,,,..1<*' M.moz. Joan Richard
son, M.ry Ru ..... 8.arl>a .. H~n Smith. C""lbrmo. Dan and K2ren
\\.'a. ..." ea....ryn Williams. Carrie .ndJoe: Hi' W~ne't". Eric Wi"e. .. and Ken
Wisookr .••1 a'"m ong ,he frnnds ...· box ••' " hasnooris/t.ed ..... ,hrough.he><
good ~a". impc' .........' /Ioo'ing <IOf1S«tari.an sangha ,ha, ......i ns
my Buddhl5f Im.~i ...t ""'. bc"dc. H.I.nd Mkh..,1 and Mory C . indude,
S~."'n C.meron. Oon t.op<z. Tin. M<l"'r+.oIf. N.ncyW.ling. • nd. b. .m
ingher kindness. M.ry Moon,
r.oocIti,,& Ftt/;~g is • p.limpseJ< 0( p<eviou!ly published and unpublished
"..,cri.l. Ahhough I ~ fek (roe '0 ~ise. tlte essa,.. app"" in ,he orderin
which they _ .. originally ..,lin. ... The .... in bon'owing:s /Tom published
m• •e ri ... a. . as foIbws.
The ;",eriudc .ppta~ as por1 o("Socn,;c R.lpturn. Soc. .r ic RuptUttS.: INTRODUCTION
"'olcs toward Qn«r Pcrl'omt.ti";ty." in ~uIo ,,,,,,,,, • ...r 00-1. ~, Joru.tIun
Komhohz and Susan Cublr (New York: Routl~. '\19').
II. ""rsiQn af Chapt. .. _ published 0$ ""Queer Pcrfommrnry in ell<
1'1 ..... York Edition Pn::r,,"." in HntfJ ;.-.. S ..... ront ~ T1tt Coo
SoI"",io. of lu<i/wmidp. f<l. DMd Mc.Whlntr(SUnfoni: S,onfon.IlInMr>iry
Pn::<!..'II96). aft.r.pptaring~ .... In ""'O~: "Inside Henry jomn: Toward
• l uicon IOrnt Ar1 ofl". Nm. "In N'l"'i.oli",I..<$Nu...r GoySdj.rn. ed.
\ionira O<.>rt-nk.mp and Rkhanl Henke (N<'W York: Ro."• •d ",. '1195). and
"Qnttr Pcrli:l<rnali.iry: l ~n'7 ).om.,• • nt An ofillt NfMI.· GI.Q 1.1('99).
Adlm Frank and I lim publUhed • w:r"Iion afChap'.r J in Crilir4II",/.iry M uch of, Ite writing in T. ..dIi,,& Ftdi"" orifIinallyo pp".red in odI .... conlem.
(wintt. '1195); it I. ....p pcarcd as.1te introduction '0 Frv>k and Stdgwid. But ,h;' coUcoion of auyo 0110 "'f'I'tSCnU a diKinct project. on. tha, has
t<h.. S/t<I"...."" 11$ S!4lm, A 5i'"". T-.ti. .. Rt"'tI'(Durh.m. HC: Dult Uni. occupied a decade. worIt. which has nonc::thelns. and with increasingsr"b
...r sity 1'tuJ. '1195~ bornn .... rc(UK<! 10 b«<tme ~n<ar in lU"Uctun:. I think i. iI hr: .. dtscribr:das
A versioo orClupter ••p p. ...d .s p,;tr1 of the intl"Oduction.o 5<dgwid. • p<'Oj«I '0 e.plore promulng.oo/J and '.chniq. ... fOr Q!:nd, '"Ii',;c though.
ed .. No>YtI 0"(1,,&' Q>o ... Rtodi".!',i. ,IN;"" (Durh.m. KC: Duke Uni ......; ty .nd p<d.tgog~
Pn:: ... '9\l1), No doubt 'he ambition of 'hinklng OIher ,han duoliSlially itself m.ped
O ap ... , was c"IllmiJ5iontd for Donald S_ Lop<' Jr. .•d ,. Cri'ic~' Tmru ,h. prnjKt' .... ilt.ne. 10 t.king ,he fOl"m of. book ·length. linear argu"",n'
for I., S,".ry of B",IdI,um (Chic.go: Unl"er$i'y of Chic. go I'tuJ. fOr1hcom on > oingle 'opie, A lot of >'<lieu ,dl US to think """du.lulie.lIy. •n d ~
i"g). ,,'10 .. '0 'hink in th6shiOii'> Fewer.rc .ble to , .." ,mi, how to go .bou,
Some p.rogrophson puform"iYi,y from ,he in,roduoion .nd Ch,pl<n it, 'he <ogniti"" and .""n .lfecti"" h.bit• •n d procticeJ invol""d. which .re
I."
• and "n: bor, ...... t<l (TOnI Andrew P.rker', .nd my in,roduOion t" OUr th.n 'm<nab!. to hr:ing couched ;n'preKri~i"" for ..... AI heSoi. I 'd hope
coedi,rd Pnfo<..."tiYily ~"d i'rrfo''''''''« (New Von: R""'I~dg.> '1195). n.c for ,hi. book '0 pr(lmpt n:cognition in lOme 01 the m.ny people who suc
diocuWon of Henry ).omes·' ....1 " rntid$m in Clupter , both """tin .... and cossfully work in weh w.y.; ,nd when: II(lm< 'f'P"W'hes .....y br: "". .. Or
borrows from the diJcu/llion ofT1ot Wi,,&, of,IIto-in T~ (Dumam. ""anicul .,ed. • ICIISt 01" possib;]ity. The ;dc.l r m envisiooing lten: iJ • miod
""J
NC: Duu Uni""rsj.y Prta. '99'), "'copti"" ." 'houghu. ..... '0 nul'fU" and conn«< them ••n d .....,.p.ible
h.ppineJo In IIteir ....e nalnmen •.
£Jpccially .-..:t ,Ite .96Ot .ny nu mberof WC>(e.n academic. popular. and
pn>feuion.aJ di<coursu t.a>.., ..... n cumlllo,,-.dy in""'ing nondualistic op-
ptO>cII<I: in phyan. gtndtr .ntI ......~ ,y. on. po,.:hology and psychoaruly-
.... <krorut",,<tion.po>t=ioni.ol ",I>,ion'. pNagogy. religloo.nd >piritu ,h<,...,.n;. r ... done in """ Ilcl with Tc..-lli", !WI(", "",r tilt po .. dc<.dc has
.lif)'. n«. mind·body pn>bI<m ..k s. <II< l'\'ro'I'try m""'"",n,. md odc~{'C ,,,,Iu<lc:<l $C>'I:ral ro;,orial upcrimcn. . in «>Il.boration: • puett}" book; the
I,',
o..? ...
",udies, among many od>tr ."'. .. 8u, of c ..... 1'$< f• • easi~r '" dtpl'eCl'. c ..~ ndcd. doubk·YOiccd ...( bot" of A Loot: I 10< of allCcr jour.
,II< confounding. ,.ndontioou etfens of binary modes 0( ,lUnkng-.nd ""Ii,m: Ind. in<:n!Hingfy. tI", nonIinguisOt W(lrk of .c.nilc .... At ,he Ume
'0 ~'P'*' thrir ol1m ..u ltifymg !"""Y''t''IiQn- ,han i, is '0 al'ticuU,~ or .i. .... int.~. my"'-ruum m. .... """'" conoislently """" ,oonUK<i
rnodtlooh. . >lructurn of though •. ~n.o invoke.."..!...,iom ... pt.=y 0( .nd ..l utd. While I've sttuggt.d.o ....t u. ruum in Toodt("! fft/to: r"".
BuddhlSl .n. . r.u point ""', is '0 ,umbic right in,,, • dIU lis! k lnp_ 1' ... aho'a)" ,.,.,... 0( ",.Iily ,hal ,.,ook! .lCJude ...",. of.1wK ~lc:mcn ... I'ft.lso had .0
'J$lIrI1f<Ilha, ,II< ""'" useful work of thU ..... is btu.lie51 '0 OCrur ....r tlx: unG"'P my hold on ........ It'ud. .. 'hOI lI!N '0 be oclf·noldcnt_including
,.Ti, ..
hound.>ry 0( ",ha, a an', figure uut how to ..y ",;>dil);_n<:Ya'.rnind ,I>< aboolutc priYiIcgc o(!he wn,;"g la i'sclf.
j><C5<ribe '" ",h~ ..: in ,he Jacoolik. wrmling_ or ,'ai chi. -;. I, may be In her ultb""ed puem "On< AI.; Elizabeth Bi~·. "'pea,ed ",frain
,h .. c<>nfout><i< 'g<ncy w;,h p. ...i .i'y, the ..I f wl,h ,he book .nd ,h. " ... rid. 1$"Tl\c art of ""ing i,n't hard to m.ster: In its i".i. .e nce on a rurg" ;-..o
'm:
crnb "f'he work wi,h il< mea",. a"d. m.ybt moot .larmlnSlr.,ntelli .... he.ie, if. ,he on. poem of he. . I've "evcr litu.d: 1 piau", I, n:&ig.
Of] •
go"..e whh s'upidity. If -"'. maybe ,he",', bee" klm.,hing encouraging in owor mas"et. uy. urginG diete. . no! to open 'he door. A more oOl1gmi.l
,II< """<tun\l """I<itnnc. ofT• ..",,"! ftt/i"f ",rsion '" mc wuuld invoke ,he: an 0(1o<u1,,&": and no. as one .rt but • e1u ..
Among the IOnru "f "ubbornnt. . ,h;, book .mbodiH (~,. I'm a Tou. Ie< 0( ",1 ..1 !d on"'_ Idcilly lif. .. !u.n. and idu, might thm 'it rr.ely. for •
rus). one of, I>< muot olMoo. is its fintioo on. ,mall numberof theoretical ..M e. on tIM: ",,1m "f "'" open lund. I wuuId ~ told To..n.i,,& MIl,,! '0
,uu,.l1 of, lM:m in pM, by '990. I'm fond ofobstrving howoboession ism. be ao open .. ,ha,. Ind .......... o""""n.,..,td. In this in,mduction I anonly
mosI durable form of ;",di""",aI capitll. More or Ie .. explicitly. •n thr$< unfold I ..... of"'" ....i n 'opoi tha, ~ f.ilc:d '0 !>«orne cillM:r diopct".bk
...., .. upkm. R"'" of uciting md ... r. .. unexha ....t d pos.ibiIi<y_ ", or qun. plxnbk during irs ..' riling.
wdI .. frustration - otim:d up by four dillic:ult ,eJ""J . l . Aus';"·. How to Doo
TIll,,&, ,..;,~ \\.ImU. "'" i"tnxluctory mlu"", 0( MklM:l Fouaul.'. HUt""",
S<.notliry. JIhli 'h Buller', GnoJ..-T" ",hit, and •h . Ii". Ih"", 001 U","" "(SilV>!1 , ".,OUUflV'TT ,.l<D P ..' '' ... AO<CR
TomkiN" 1I.Jf«r [""'lPJ C"""""""<u(Clccrp<td inTumtins. S""""'~ Addi- T" "'*("&" I'MI,,! is rooted in an i", .... ".;I:"I>I f.scination wi'h ........ tffcns md
.ionaUy. excep' ("" the Iess-i<nown won; "f Tornki .... ,he c"'Y' respond to Implimiun.o .urroundingJ. L Au,,;n', foundational work on perfurm• • ;ve
'he eritie.l and ped.gogkal n:C<p1iOl\li ."d uses uof.l.h . ".'. . infiu.nti.I'cn,_ U[ten"..e .. While ,1M: roneep' of pcrform,,;v;,y h., propclkd notably di
..s pond.o ,IM:Ol ofion wi.h ",h.t ha. been. for 1"". a .it.liz;ng if "'<Ken' ,roitu of thou"". in ..' ....I d;.dplin ... I h>w: be"n most rc<p<>n.oi""
iI<>1".,inICO("''''' or un"""I)' .u ..,.. ..i on. What I ",WI ",ert "'!u.Uy ...; , to om: line ,h. . extends throUGh Ocrri<Ja '0 ,1M: carly work of Judith But
de:nt ("")~ ;t is in ..,"'" places);' plain gutitudc "' ,1M: privilege of being lc:r. aline th. . f""I"'d p.rticularly infi""n,laJ In ,he dc,'tlopmcnt of gender
an interlocutor in rorn-nutiuno I've Clperic_d •• '" poIiliaJly. inc.lIe<. ..udic,md 'lUttu.ud;." throoghoUt ,ht ,_.
'u.Uy. md imagina,ive/y nuda!. Th. "queer" "",cn'''1 of pcrlOnna,r.i'y II nidcntly ",t.<1!d '0 tIM: 'ellU
F<cIi.:
A, ,he sa"", 'ime. one 0( m. cumulative "oriel .<lId by T. ....' ~ ousnea ofi lS on,otog;cal ground. sill""ll!d by ,he faa thai il begitu its intel
m.y bc of. ,,·ri, ...· , dccrra>ing ....... ofh~. 1In>ng cen.ero(g nvity in le<tual ........U b m rcpudi ..c -d in ...t>. .n a by ,Iw coinc.oftlM: ,nm. Ausrin
a ponicubr IntcllMual field Such enroun• . ., '" ,00... "ith monoJify and irnmduccs pcrform:at;"i,y in "'" Ii. .t of his ,~~ Harvard lea ureo (10' ... pub.
wi,h Budd!t;'m. "+tieh ....p " u.. two I. ., <hlp'.". ~ had ........ >lip-.tidy Iw..d o. How.,~ IN TluW wit~ ~im!o~ only ,0 disown it """<Whe,,, ..-ound
.~cu, br bener or worot. on m. ..r ong consciousnc.. 0( \«>Cation .h. . .IM: cigh.h. He ,Iiso..-n.ordismantks "pcrfOrma'Mf)': that is ....1 >< name
made: a book lik. F.,.u'""oJWv""'~ Clout oound <on~dc nt of it. i"ten. ." tion uf. dlSllna .nd bounded <a1egotI of un.r.nc.,--,hat mis!!, be ~ '"
i,,,·
on <llOltmpor.nco", "'. .... of ..: m.li')' .nd critic.1 theory. By contra ... ,he "",,,,Iy """"". . ~ ~~ive. "",inl:( ,hot ,:!!. . ~,uin ••p ttm
·ct is boIh' ('47). Thus lhe u,", th., deconstruction h., hod for ·pcrl"orrn •. Uut ,he mu'l of the n .... -.wcd category is no< to introdu« yet .not""r
1i';ly- beg;", with lhe =ognitkln"c It "" propeny 0< 'spe<t common 1e,. .l al whirh to play 'he g.me of ..e king .oroptions .nd "c,• .,;"g ""t
10 aU ""c ..n rt• . Ungui"ics and onaly.1c philosophy. by <;onl .... , in spilt qualifying from "",nqualifylng u"ora"_. In. ...d , Uhinbhe.ca'cgory is
"f Austin', dtmur,.,,1.long ",maintd imc",,,td in the pn>CC'SS of ,b ..i fying mo<t u..,fu lin ••p atialil:td mode of IhoughUf. .. A\ Utin him. .! fs ay •. then:
as ""mo. ,oo, ..
..t ",,,,,,e. pcrf<:>nm.liYcJ ath,. .. is fin.lly no yes/no dislinaloo bet", • .., prrl'ormotivc .nd nonperl"onn.u..:
Vel. as Shoshana ~Iman poinu OUt Ito Tv !.it. ...? , SpmA Nt, Awtin', "tt.nnen. then it; could be l1lOOl:.bdpful 10Jmagine a maplik.o set: of ",b
"".., pcrlOnnan« in lhe. .. lcnum if "nythmg but. simplt one. Qn<, of ,;.,no: • map 'hOI migl" rca{Ufl' upIInl pnp._ri. .. """,""u, conform;"g
tt..ir slyc~ia if a "'P" •• e<!trop;.m IOW.nI. •n evident fa<cinarion "rioly.o ",Irs t Ihrougb 6. al !I$ middle, and. "",llilude: ofather un .....
willi. • putlrular do .. of aamplet of pcriOrrnat;'" un.~_ PresenfCd ance< K'ucrni 00-clulleml nnr and far. dtpcnding on ,he nrious ...- .ys
firs! as 1"''''. originary. • nd dt:6niing lOr 'he conrcpI: ~.' Ir.. bot they might rtSCmblc or difli<, from lho« uampb. In e h""" I ofT"""'·
as no _ tkon -a marginallimiti"' .....• of iI. if indotd either tt.. a • iot f<tIiJI&. -Around It.. PerformaIM: 1 go f1,,""'" with this spalializing
...
.mpks or the concqx n n be said 10 -suni\,," the ....I ytic optntion of in'pub<. posittng I new dau of ,...,-~i une~ ",hast COI11f1IeJ:
thc Iccru..,. II aU (AUJlin ':!O): """""helt$J """ncd 10 .,.,.... and ....,. as if effiraty d<prnds on ,"";,-t~ to. .. ...,U as Ihci< difli:",,,,. from. lbt
no "'l""""n. or .noly. .. no d«omtruttion oo-dismanlle"""", could "'oily aplicil pcriOrrnatives.
vitiate or..,..., ch2lltnge the ..I f,evldence ofthcirenmplary fOn:e-the .. E'en 'h" broad 1ew1 of inlernl in 1Iw: fonns of pcri:>rmalh-e bnguagc
..,ntenen:an wh., Austin', won.lruulls m It.. mind as pcrfurmarivity toot "1"""'"n<s I depo>nufl' from .h. deconsnuoh-e/q"". . lin"gc towtrich I Tt·
coun, ..,..., ,,-hi\c ",odeting nominally un ....b k: the CO<Kc-pI of pcrfun-n •. "rrt<I.artier. For from jacque! Drrrida 10 Judi,h 8ull. .. ,t.. In;«""yof
.ivil)' '<IU' coun. """"""Iy. tt..se .'" • clllSlerof K1ltenen .bout ",hio.·it; b\ •••r y and gcndrr Ibcory has angltd I"" ....i ngly ~'ay from (what migh<
sec""
cle.r that to uneT It.. senlen« (In, of (OU'''. the appropriate <i .. be (alkd) the gr.mmatial mome"t. or the gnmtn.ltical impulK:. in dis
ru""unca) is no< to lit...". ... my doing(. thing) . .. or to "ate th" I.m cussions of pcrfor.".tivity. leI """ <M'>1-implify "",,, ;" f'O'iting that both
doing it: it is to do;t" ()). Enmpl• • lndud. -I promise:"J bequeath.,.: drcOfUt"'Ction and gcndrr Ih.ory h~ invoked Austinian pcrl"ormativity
you: pro;e.:'
'1 <hti. ..n ... : "1 apologil:.:"1 da ... "1 sent.nrc you_ in Ih . .....; .e of an .pI. .. moIogic.1 thot ran roughly be id.ntifiood
In the pre..,n, book. depaninG from Au'lin', u ..g c. I ",f.rto Ih...,,,,,.m. as .mie_nli.lism. AU$llni.n p"rfo,malivity !! .buut h£.wJanguoge COP
,,,raJ
plary itUun .., ... r.rp1i<il ri"","-",jvt .1I. ... "J1'~ They ho"" .. 'y" ..o k $ITU«. ouff«<s ",ality "t heft ~ on "",,,,Iy describing ii, This dirrcdy.1_rod.,·
.nd .. montic fcotu"" in common: Ihey .rr in th. (') first·person .;"gular Ii", ..p ect oflIngu.gc if ",Ost ..l Ih)g.Jor_llllie*n~l'rojem. when the:
(» PT<<cnt ()) indic .. i. ... (41.oi",,: (,) the ,'.rb in cach one nam« rTt~ly uUeranres in qurSlkln art (1""''''0 claimin~ a .imply.descriJuU:c:..rtl.tion
rn: ..
th. ort (in AU>lin', I~rm, the illoc-uliOfl) th., th. .u uer.1lCC it ..l f perl"orm.; '0 tom<: nnding.9S1ttUlbly auadi"u. ." '" ",.lity. Analogously in the
and (6) 'ho adverb "heT<by" could be instntd In tach oflhem withoot di,. . Ttl of hi"ory. d ....m e .ntlCl<cn,i.list proj«1$ h.ve fuo-cgroundtd r-ou·
Inrting thcir form or meaning, Thu• . "I [h.tn:by Ja pologil:e' apologize>. ' 1 a ult '. "'proted demonsl"t""" of the: prod..,;", faTt. both of tuonom;",
["".-.by) ..n toneo" .. ntences •• nd so un. .nd disciplines lhal I .
Ifthe€Otegory ~xplitil ~Ij", .11 ...." """""'" d.tifying at oil. i. "';U
no< do so by ",. . oping t"" .abk: clt.r of dulMouo co ..... ",.", "" pic"'}'
of. .. nt<no:'c> whose £OTt. SttOU uoprobl<m ..i aUy pcrl"ONNIM in a da<.<i.
cally Auainian""'" bul tNt vioIale eorh of tt.. ......... ",I. .. "no. ......i ng
..ru
if adjqurned-vIol ..C I , and •. for.>:ample; "The court come 10 """'r"
vioIa,es t .nd 1; "y""',,, OUI" viol.. .a , and s: 'Present!- viola,es •. >. and
1. if no< aIso<l.
fOrm>!i.." by »ying. -8uI lhe only molly inlercscing pan of it It how all ~ .U (Ome ",,,,,,,Iy from ..- orIr. on spttch KII ron-ing A""in. Vel
langu;og<' It pcrfo. ""In~-; and judi.h 8ulle,as adding. -No. only ,ha,. but in mor»' ron ..m poury ....g a. ~y in I\"'ndtt and cuhural .rudi<s.
i,', ""'"' pcmmni. ...~ ill pcl'furm:otni,y It lu« e"fllicic -i~<lN<I. ar' it ..e ms 10 be lied prinurily 10. moriv• • ..J primarily by.he notion of.
guably. mOS' of.1I when it isn', e,.,n en,bodied in O<1ual w"""'." perform>"« in me defining i'!1l •.n « _,mu'rical, BUll .... c.rly .....,rk a~;cu:
I h ... , "0 qu.,rel ,,, m.k. with the. . f'O"'erful dem<>nStra,ion$. r>Qr in. I.tel.n inyi,o,i<>n \0. in her words. <"""dc, gond ......5 . .. • n .ct,
d<<<i with \he an'i. ...~ 'ial;sm thai impc'" them. I would ",mark. though. .. il we ..., whl<h is both 1n!~,ionaIand p<:rl'orntlriot. whe ... 'pcrfi),m>..
on 00w boIh Ikrrid;c 'und Butler. pcrlOrmali";tieJ" boa. ... ,My.", in the ri"'" itsoclf can-ir:s m. doublt·mtaning <Ii·dra ....l lc· and ·""".",I'c:n:ntW·
..r vice of.n ...' .....n tialisc epistemological mOCn~. can Sttm '0 bt CUI in CI>erforntllM' '7'-7)). -Pe,fom,.,;. ..- 31 ,he pn:sent rnc>rno<n. carries thc
the: .....o K im;o&c of,he hypoolatiU1l gr:ommadc-al,uonomie1lh.c h .... .uthurill' of' .....0 quite cliffr",,,t di5CO\l.rseS. Ih., Gf ,heateron the ooe hand.
h.raooriz.d. for example. Joh" Searle', or Emlllknvenlsl". positivistic and 0( !pCt<:h act Ihrory ."d d.cormrucli<>n 00 'he otho<. Pan.king in
Tha,"
u ... of AWlin. '0 say. Ik,rido and Butle, Sttm 10 emerge from a ',he p<""ige of bo<h discou .... '" i, nonerhe\ess. " Buoo sugge1u. me.ns
junrtun: .t ..m m Austin ·. .y nlaCllc ....l lnOrrtieo. "'hich .." '''' originaUy both ,"'..,. d;1K",nliy in each. "T'hfc SI ...l ch berwttn ,he'lri<:oI and dccoN.ructn",
I""'isional and pb)-ful. can pcrsioc only .. n:ducriotly ~lWrtg; the: m. ." mgs <Ii-pcriOnnari ..- <an Sttm ,,, "1"" ,he poWiries of noll'tftbal
_ from ""'" Iongu.1\'" ",.U w'W"'g< ..e m. rtqui"'" by .hci. .m ie. ..n .nd , ..m .1 ac,ion. It .t..> '1"'110 ,,,,,,,, "f. at cit"'" "'reme. lbe txI~iDn
,ia/i" pro;t:<:l. Perh'p. ." ending '0 ,he "nm'., .nd drect, of porticula, bits of the .CIO' (.imed en,lrely outward tow.rd the .udien,o) .nd th. i.,,,,·
,,[language. a.s I try '" do in m.ny "flhe.., CU>J'''' "'quir. . a "ep.o.he $ido ,..".iDo. .,(Ihe Signifier (if "I a~iu" ooIy apologizes. "I .." ,encr' only
of .n'i. ...n lialism. a n:1'1~ lighlening of me epistem<>logi<al dentlnd on ..n lenru, .nd ... .,..). Michael frioed·.oppariIion he, ...n lheanica6,y and
""r-adoI
....-ntial ,ru,h. ""'""rprion Sttms CUOlOl11·m:;todt for chis about -pcrformalmty": in
I h:" ... abo ..U n a dislincl .ocp 10 the >ide of lhe dernrutru<ti. . p,*", its d«on"ructi"" <moe p<:rform.ti";ly signals abJorpti<>n: in ,he Ylcinill' 01
of analy.;ns 'PI"",nlly nonllnguls.ic pI1enomena In rigorously lingois.ic Ill. >I.ge. h"""".". tile pc"",m.';," ;. the theatric.1. Bu' in anocher range
.s """e'Y ,,[ """..,.j..,.
"TlTH, when DUller anall"" • partkui"I:"t'\l.ral style a.s . .,(twgcs• ••e XC such.., Lyotlrd', Thr C<mditWn U$e1 'performa-
l"'rformaci .. ulteran«: r Pl:rfl)fm.ti. . ' ~;n.-7J). like much <kcono'ru<ti.-. .mcy"I" mean ... eXC ... "", ofsomcthing~ik~-p<>I,modc:m "'P"'.
",-un, Thwfoi'\( ftdi '\( wanlliOa ddress.spKII ofu pcriencc and ""~'y ,ha, scn,ation a.s. bnn.,(c api,aI;" eflicioonq _ .....h ile, agUl. ,he deconoc.-ucm-"
do nOC ponenl Ihcmoel"", in proposiOOnal O<~ in ..r baI IOo-m aIong>ide 'pnfurmativity- of Paul de MIn 0< J- Hill;' Mille. _ .0 be characle ...
ochers Iha. d<>. ra,he,-,ha,o ",bmh 10 ,h. 'PI"",n' common",,_ tha' ... - iud by 'M di.Unuge pr«iscly "fc .u"" and eff«t hc:,v.-ttn 'hr Jignlfi.r.nd
qui..,. ...r ic, .. p.ra""" o.lwe~n 'M tw<> and u.u.lly impli •••n omologica 1 the ..... .".td. At ,11 ...m ~ lime. I,', worth ke~plng in mind 'hat even in de·
pmikging of'he former. Who, mol' 0. iliffe",m in the presen, work. 00w' <onsIruccion, mon: can bt ,.id of p<:rformari"" specch .CIS ,h.n lha, ,My
"''''', is a disindiru.rion to ........... ,~ priorilie. by subsuming nonotrbal an: on'oIogirally dWinked .... in,""""";".,1y non ... ~ ... nti.ll. FoIJow;nS on de
aspects <Ii ...a lity lil'rnIy u ....., ,hc .egis ofthc Unguhcic. [ .....m e lha, ,hc Man', dtmon."".tion of'a radical ""rangem."" bcno...,." the me""ing.nd
line bet .... n ",..,ods and things 0< be",'ffn ~nguiotlc and """lingo ist" !'!>c- lhe: perform.nce of",,)· 1<>1' (>98). """ mlgb' ",·.nt '0 d..-cU noc ... m",h
""men. is e n~)'S!I."gj ng, p<: 'mc.ble. • nd rnt i. .. )y u~£!i1>I. '0 ;ny on .he """",ferenee of the p<:rf"nnati...., but rath. . on (what de Man ",II<)
definili ..... .,lculation. With Wingcru.cin. how ..., . I h ... an inclin;uion '" its nccnoarily ",berran,' (,)0.) "'~tion 10 its ""'n ",f.",nce: Ihe lonion.lh~
deP"'OIC rho '",gnm~1 of .....r y spttiaIvalur. my"K]uc. or thingnt. . '" rnu,ual p<:n-cnion. as """ mig!lt ~. of ",k,en«: and .... 'r.:.,.. .... liYiry. The
l m<aning and Language. Many kinds of objo<u and ....... -... .. in rruny lint {VI'" rhap<ers .,rT~",*i", Fnti'\(. ", espe6>ly in,ooI.-..I with 'his un·
ttnu,'g,',,",ou. ~ys. and """.at", 'nd.1 Stt """" ,..:tue in "'" ",ifying or >ctding .btr.-.o<c o.l......,.,n pcrlO .....' ..; ,y and ,heatric.ali.y: 'he fi .... in 'he
mYOl>fy"'S tbe hngu"<>c kJnds <Ii m<."mg ~nncaw.rily. lirelons, profound. ..a. nd un"'qui,ed longin" with "'h;~ H.nry J>me. fonta
.1:to\J,
Up '0 thi. poin. I haw been ,,,,. .i ng pcrform'liyily as if i"I~.Q",.icai sized 'M Brilish ,hucrr: ,~e second in,l\ .n.)ys,\> "O'Ol1rgcois rna ...
rwo""_ 'n'
riogc ond ..... nel slawry 10$ of mobilt dle~'cr_of,he , ......I ing NC"~on include> ..." ....... "'_/\ he. >cudy oH. ....I . ;mpersonot.,...
p<OSCmium- in nint,. ..n tlHmtury nlIrn,t. .... in the U",,«i Sut"", the IIoor pions of...., drag dubs (7'.119). The plans
• ... port .,( her field dll. on shows at each ","ue:. •n d one of the Sln:ngths
one. 'P"lany pred• ••n .lyslo is an .., '" .I."ne. . to 'he multuid,d inter·
.cti<>I\o among people ·wide· each Other In • room. Thu., whU •• per-
I ...v c al~.dy indicoo,cd th. . , 10< all n. in,c,", in perfonruttrlty, ,Iw: ,hrost 1Ocmc' in one kind 01 room remains oJonc _age and ,ft<r";aM doa no
ofTOOidti.o: 1'«/;. is no< '0 Uf"- =idu.11Onns of ~ialism lu"'ing ",inng ..i 1h lhc,udimce, the pnformtrin tIM:: Otfln room "'. ...i nsin nca<-
"'.m ......
behind >f'I'>~ndy ~w.I;'" forms ofa Nlysis. N<><is i, '0 uncanh un roou .." " int.r>ction with the band leader. dub lOInage-. of the
coorcioo. drivn Of compulsions underlying the 'PI'''''''' pI.,. of li .." ,'Y .udimct". and ",her performers both older Ind younger, in .nd 0'" of v.ri-
ou,
forms. Norag,in is it to uncover 'iolent oroppre. .i ve hi"oric.1 forcel mos kind. of drag, .mateuro lid prof.$<i<. .... I.T he effect underl in .. New,on'.
quc. ... ding undtr bkral ~thctic guise. , rontinUOUI assumption \h .. drag is 1. ....i ngk kind 01 XI th.n • he. .r <>-
Wi,houl .. , ....p ring 10 dtqluc ouch <riricol pranitts. I tw..: ,ricd in ,his ~ 1)'$' ..... In eroIogiul field ,,"hose in,tnlivc and <ltfining rebtioo
projtn lOupion: _ .... ys .round """oposold epth 0.-hiddcnness.!)'pi ality is intemal .. much IS it II dirteted '_lnI tllte norms it may,lull.,n&,,_
cdly ful~ by. drama ofe xposure. <ha, h., been $Uch. ".ple ofc ririaol When Butl .. dn",' on Newton', work .t ,he .nd ofG<>ultr n..!>It, on 'he
..... ri< of,he p'" fou.dec.de •. Bnlta,h and IotM ..! a~ h.rd enough In I., go othor h. nd, ,he ecological ."cntion to .po« conarse' i n f. ." Or of• ,em 1"'",1
of; wh>, .... been e'"n morediflicull is to grt alittle di"anct from~. in emphasis on gen<lcr .. ""yl iud rcpcririoo· .nc! • sodaltem!"",1 i'y· (j. But·
i,.
ponicul:arthc boosy fPture of·~for· In imminmtly ~m:a.d crirical ler , .... _.,). Wi,h the loss of spa'iality, h~, the m..rnoUy complu
or revolutionary pn<ti<c'N' """ con 0I"InC1i 001)1 adumbncc. r..:1d 01 d",& pof",,,,,,,,,, JU/krS a ...,mingly unaooidaI>Ic simplification
,hi,
I.....,;ad, as its titIc wggnu. the ""'" soJicnt ptepo<itioo in To",*iPI& f'ffl .nd ... ificarion_ In faa, 1 think I"" ofd imcnJion mIJI explain why many
i~ it proO.>bly ltoiJ~ Invoking I Dtlcutl.n imeres' in pbna, rel>lions, 'he <.rly re,derS, wrongly, intc'l'"'ted Bu,ler'. di"' ...." '" as p"'",ribing • • im·
i=du<ib!y spOlial position.li,y of IotsUh .1.., ..e mS '0 offer some useful re plistic volun ..r it}'_ Ahhough temporal and 'P,ti,1 thinking arc ~. ~.Ily
n...nc. to the: .... with ,,-hich Itt. ...., ," and "':>o>n.I turn from spatw.1 dt:Krip al'erna,;'" to e ..h OI""r, I'vc consi>,ent/y ,ried in T.,..o,i", f'ffli", '0 push
tor> in,o implKit narraoiws 01, mptttivdy, on"n and ,.los. bKk ag.l. ... an ocrup;otion.al ICndcnq 10 undc"" ..n d '0 ,"" rich dimmsioo
8tri<It is on intc=ting pttposilion .bo boaw;e ,he:re'0 nothing very-dual· of <pace.
iW< abou, it; • numberor clements m.y lie alongsi<lt one '!1QIher, though
not In infinhy of them_ llt,id. permits I .p.d. .... 'gn<>Otkism about OCY'
e",1 of the line" logia th>t enforce du.listic 'Mnlting: noncontradiction
or ,"" law 01 ,he ududed mi<ldlc, ca .... ""....., clfut. "'bjooa ."... .. ob- The jnkes tha, Aid in peopk', minds I~ the on .. ,hey don't quite get.
ject. Its in,nnt doa!1Ql, Ioooo-",\'Cr, depend on • ran,..,.. oI .....o nymiraUy Toll<1U", f'ffli..g displays. 1 think. _thing like ,hot relation to Fouauk's
<'ga1i ..' ;'n or""'n pod"" ~J.rion., os any cMd kn<>ws who', ....~ • bed Hurory oJ'St. ...... lit)', \'.10 .... t, Foucaul' '. "<lIume """indo; mt of. joke be·
.w.ith. oiblings. lltliJ. comprise •• wide rangr of ~<iring, id.mifyin~, ~p_ caU .. I,"argun. .n , i, so promising .nd economic.l; my ..n se of n .... getting
",sen';"g, re~lling, poullel;ng. dilr.",n'ia,ing, rI .... ling, loaning, twiseing, it comel from ,he way itS ""'" .I.ga"". ...m l .1>0 to make Its prom'"
m;nudting, wi,hdrowmg, au"""ing. .gglCSSing. warping. and Other ~Io· unfulAlbblc.
To mt, ,he .lmost <ltlirio ... I""""'" of the book is most .". .h od '0 """.
SpotialWng <iscipIiMs such lOS t;tt'graphy .nd .nth"'P"logy do, though, caul,', Idcnrification 01 ,he .... pn:ssivo hrpod,. .n " .nd his ...g gestion that
h.\oC t"" """antage of permi'ting eco!ogkal o<.y.tcm• •p pr~h"" to .uch 'he", might he w.yo of thinking .round it. "ccording '0 ,he "'pr<!S.i .... hy.
..r ..
u..u •••, iikn'ity .nd penorm'nee. For in"ancc, the .n,hropologl" ESlh<r poth. .i . ,hat Fouc~ul' dcpree". .. ,..., history <u.li,y <o~ld only be ,h.,