Aberrations in Black: Toward a Queer of Color Critique (Critical American Studies Series)

A hard-hitting look at the regulation of sexual difference and its role in circumscribing African American culture The sociology of race relations in America typically describes an intersection of poverty, race, and economic discrimination. But what is missing from the picture—sexual difference—can be as instructive as what is present. In this ambitious work, Roderick A. Ferguson reveals how the discourses of sexuality are used to articulate theories of racial difference in the field of sociology. He shows how canonical sociology—Gunnar Myrdal, Ernest Burgess, Robert Park, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and William Julius Wilson—has measured African Americans’s unsuitability for a liberal capitalist order in terms of their adherence to the norms of a heterosexual and patriarchal nuclear family model. In short, to the extent that African Americans’s culture and behavior deviated from those norms, they would not achieve economic and racial equality. Aberrations in Black tells the story of canonical sociology’s regulation of sexual difference as part of its general regulation of African American culture. Ferguson places this story within other stories—the narrative of capital’s emergence and development, the histories of Marxism and revolutionary nationalism, and the novels that depict the gendered and sexual idiosyncrasies of African American culture—works by Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and Toni Morrison. In turn, this book tries to present another story—one in which people who presumably manifest the dysfunctions of capitalism are reconsidered as indictments of the norms of state, capital, and social science. Ferguson includes the first-ever discussion of a new archival discovery—a never-published chapter of Invisible Man that deals with a gay character in a way that complicates and illuminates Ellison’s project. Unique in the way it situates critiques of race, gender, and sexuality within analyses of cultural, economic, and epistemological formations, Ferguson’s work introduces a new mode of discourse—which Ferguson calls queer of color analysis—that helps to lay bare the mutual distortions of racial, economic, and sexual portrayals within sociology. The Sociology Of Race Relations In America Typically Describes An Intersection Of Poverty, Race, And Economic Discrimination. But What Is Missing From The Picture - Sexual Difference - Can Be As Instructive As What Is Present. In This Ambitious Work, Roderick A. Ferguson Reveals How The Discourses Of Sexuality Are Used To Articulate Theories Of Racial Difference In The Field Of Sociology. He Shows How Canonical Sociology - Gunnar Myrdal, Ernest Burgess, Robert Park, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, And William Julius Wilson - Has Measured African Americans' Unsuitability For A Liberal Capitalist Order In Terms Of Their Adherence To The Norms Of A Heterosexual And Patriarchal Nuclear Family Model. In Short, To The Extent That African Americans' Culture And Behavior Deviated From Those Norms, They Would Not Achieve Economic And Racial Equality. Aberrations In Black Tells The Story Of Canonical Sociology's Regulation Of Sexual Difference As Part Of Its General Regulation Of African American Culture. Ferguson Places This Story Within Other Stories - The Narrative Of Capital's Emergence And Development, The Histories Of Marxism And Revolutionary Nationalism, And The Novels That Depict The Gendered And Sexual Idiosyncrasies Of African American Culture - Works By Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, And Toni Morrison. In Turn, This Book Tries To Present Another Story - One In Which People Who Presumably Manifest The Dysfunctions Of Capitalism Are Reconsidered As Indictments Of The Norms Of State, Capital, And Social Science. Ferguson Includes The First-ever Discussion Of A New Archival Discovery - A Never-published Chapter Of Invisible Man That Deals With A Gay Character In A Way That Complicates And Illuminates Ellison's Project. Introduction : Queer Of Color Critique, Historical Materialism, And Canonical Sociology -- The Knee-pants Of Servility : American Modernity, The Chicago School, And Native Son -- The Specter Of Woodridge : Canonical Formations And The Anticanonical In Invisible Man -- Nightmares Of The Heteronormative : Go Tell It On The Mountain Versus An American Dilemma -- Something Else To Be : Sula, The Moynihan Report, And The Negations Of Black Lesbian Feminism -- Conclusion : Toward The End Of Normativity. Roderick A. Ferguson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 149-165) And Index. Juxtaposing the works of Gunnar Myrdal, Ernest Burgess, Robert Park, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan with those of Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, and Toni Morrison, Roderick A. Ferguson interrogates canonical sociology's regulation of sexual difference as part of its pathologization of African American culture. Unique in the way it situates critiques of race, gender, and sexuality within analyses of cultural, economic, and epistemological formations, Aberrations in Black introduces a new mode of discourse that helps to lay bare the mutual distortions of racial, economic, and sexual portrayals within sociology. https://archive.org/details/aberrationsinbla0000ferg Baldwin, James, 1924-1987. Go tell it on the mountain; Wright, Richard, 1908-1960. Native son; Ellison, Ralph. Invisible man; Morrison, Toni. Sula; American fiction -- African American authors -- History and criticism; Homosexuality and literature -- United States -- History -- 20th century; American fiction -- 20th century -- History and criticism; Gays' writings, American -- History and criticism; African American gays -- Intellectual life; Gays -- United States -- Intellectual life; African Americans in literature; Gays in literature; Canon (Literature) x, 175 p. ; 24 cm Includes bibliographical references (p. 149-165) and index Queer of color critique, historical materialism, and canonical sociology -- The knee-pants of servility : American modernity, the Chicago school, and native son -- The specter of Woodridge : canonical formations and the anticanonical in Invisible man -- Nightmares of the heteronormative : Go tell it on the mountain versus an American dilemma -- Something else to be : Sula, the Moynihan report, and the negations of Black lesbian feminism -- Toward the end of normativity