The Sexual Demon of Colonial Power: Pan-African Embodiment and Erotic Schemes of Empire

by Greg Thomas

Overview

The Sexual Demon of Colonial Power is a political, cultural, and intellectual study of race, sex, and Western empire. Greg Thomas interrogates a system that represents race, gender, sexuality, and class in certain systematic and oppressive ways. By connecting sex and eroticism to geopolitics both politically and epistemologically, he examines the logic, operations, and politics of sexuality in the West. The book focuses on the centrality of race, class, and empire to Western realities of "gender and sexuality" and to problematic Western attempts to theorize gender and sexuality (or embodiment). Addressing a wide range of intellectual disciplines, it holds out the hope for an analysis freed from the domination of white, Western terms of reference.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253117076
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	05/03/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	383 KB

About the Author

Greg Thomas is Assistant Professor of English at Syracuse University and editor of Proud Flesh: New Afrikan Journal of Culture, Politics, & Consciousness.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments

1. Pan-Africanism or Sexual Imperialism: White Supremacy, Hellenomania, and Discourses of Sexuality
2. The Madness of Gender in Plantation America: Sex, Womanhood, and U.S. Chattel Slavery, Revisited
3. Sexual Imitation and the Lumpen-Bourgeoisie: Race and Class as Erotic Conflict in E. Franklin Frazier
4. Sexual Imitation and the "Little Greedy Caste": Race and Class as Erotic Conflict in Frantz Fanon
5. Colonialism and Erotic Desire—in English: The Case of Jamaica Kincaid
6. Neo-colonial Canons of Gender and Sexuality, after COINTELPRO: Black Power Bodies/Black Popular Culture and Counter-insurgent Critiques of Sexism and Homophobia
Conclusion

Notes
References
Index

What People are Saying About This

Maxine Elliot Professor, Universityof California, Berkeley - Judith Butler

Thomas offers here one of the most provocative and consequential analyses of empire and sexual politics in recent years. His work provides new ways of conceptualizing sexuality, race, and empire which makes the case for rethinking all of the ways in which these fields are studied. His erudition is vast and the acuity of his analysis, unparalleled.

Judith Butler

"Thomas offers here one of the most provocative and consequential analyses of empire and sexual politics in recent years. His work provides new ways of conceptualizing sexuality, race, and empire which makes the case for rethinking all of the ways in which these fields are studied. His erudition is vast and the acuity of his analysis, unparalleled."--(Judith Butler, Maxine Elliot Professor, University of California, Berkeley)

Florida International University - New World Studies and English

This book is an amazing intervention into a range of related contemporary discourses as it provides important and informed critiques of imperialism. As we witness new formations of empire and sexuality via incidents like Abu Ghraib, it is important to recall these old manifestations of imperialism. This is perhaps the only text now that one can read about pan—Africanist projects and the particular conjunctions of sexuality and colonialism. Greg Thomas, a leading member of a new generation of scholars, advances well the activist intellectual work of the best in the black radical intellectual tradition. This is a scholar whose stunning intellectual energy already challenges, troubles, bothers entrenched, fixed positions as it clearly stimulates new discussions and reverberates in a range of related fields. —Carole Boyce Davies, Professor of Africa

Editorial Reviews

"I found this book to be not only a stimulating and thought-provoking read, but also one that was impressive for how accessible Thomas made such a thoroughgoing analysis of a broad range of fields. This review can only hint at the richness of the text and the powerful nature of the argumentation. Thomas must be commended for his ability to so clearly capture such an in-depth critique in ways that are always already reconstructive at the same time as they are deconstructive.2009"—Body & Society

"This book is an amazing intervention into a range of related contemporary discourses as it provides important and informed critiques of imperialism. As we witness new formations of empire and sexuality via incidents like Abu Ghraib, it is important to recall these old manifestations of imperialism. This is perhaps the only text now that one can read about pan—Africanist projects and the particular conjunctions of sexuality and colonialism. Greg Thomas, a leading member of a new generation of scholars, advances well the activist intellectual work of the best in the black radical intellectual tradition. This is a scholar whose stunning intellectual energy already challenges, troubles, bothers entrenched, fixed positions as it clearly stimulates new discussions and reverberates in a range of related fields. —Carole Boyce Davies, Professor of Africa"—New World Studies and English, Florida International University

"Thomas offers here one of the most provocative and consequential analyses of empire and sexual politics in recent years. His work provides new ways of conceptualizing sexuality, race, and empire which makes the case for rethinking all of the ways in which these fields are studied. His erudition is vast and the acuity of his analysis, unparalleled."—Judith Butler, Maxine Elliot Professor, University of California, Berkeley

From the Publisher

I found this book to be not only a stimulating and thought-provoking read, but also one that was impressive for how accessible Thomas made such a thoroughgoing analysis of a broad range of fields. This review can only hint at the richness of the text and the powerful nature of the argumentation. Thomas must be commended for his ability to so clearly capture such an in-depth critique in ways that are always already reconstructive at the same time as they are deconstructive.2009

Body & Society

"Thomas offers here one of the most provocative and consequential analyses of empire and sexual politics in recent years. His work provides new ways of conceptualizing sexuality, race, and empire which makes the case for rethinking all of the ways in which these fields are studied. His erudition is vast and the acuity of his analysis, unparalleled." —Judith Butler, Maxine Elliot Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Judith Butler

"This book is an amazing intervention into a range of related contemporary discourses as it provides important and informed critiques of imperialism. As we witness new formations of empire and sexuality via incidents like Abu Ghraib, it is important to recall these old manifestations of imperialism. This is perhaps the only text now that one can read about pan—Africanist projects and the particular conjunctions of sexuality and colonialism. Greg Thomas, a leading member of a new generation of scholars, advances well the activist intellectual work of the best in the black radical intellectual tradition. This is a scholar whose stunning intellectual energy already challenges, troubles, bothers entrenched, fixed positions as it clearly stimulates new discussions and reverberates in a range of related fields. —Carole Boyce Davies, Professor of Africa" —New World Studies and English, Florida International University

New World Studies and English