This week I read Nikki Sullivan’s book A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory from 2003, and took lots of notes. I liked her style, but it’s funny how quickly queer stuff dates. I mean, debates about whether ‘sadomasochism’ (as it was called at the time) is patriarchal or not … It just feels very long ago. Even so there are certain aspects of it (fantasy vs reality) that have bearing on my own research, and the historical chapters were very useful.
Yesterday I took some time to collect more readings for the upcoming weeks. I couldn’t find a downloadable copy of Routledge Queer Studies Reader, but I could borrow a bad (as in too dark pages) copy at the Internet Archive, and realised that all texts had been published elsewhere – and I could find and download the sources for all relevant chapters. That’s when I realised why it’s called reader: A reader is a collection of texts that have already been published elsewhere. The curation of these texts by an editor is the justification of the reader, along with an introduction.
I keep studying at least 8 hours per day effectively, except on Wednesday, which was a social day that ended with dinner at Paolo Pinkel. But therefore I worked half a day on Saturday too. In general it was a social week: Lunch with H at Life Berlin on Thursday, brunch at O/H’s today, and before that I had AB over for a talk.
Am I reading too slowly? Is one book per week to little? I should probably skip and skim parts that are too detailed and dated. It’s a challenge because it goes against my compulsive personality.
I got a student account (and an email address!) at the University of Stavanger, so I guess that means I was admitted to the three-day course in queer autoethnography that I applied for last week. It will take place in November 2021.
Book
- Sullivan, Nikki. 2003. A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory. New York: New York University Press.
Japanese
Anki, kanji, news, anime, and:
- Try N2, chapter 11, 12-1 and 12-2.
- Sōmatome N2 reading, from 3-6 to 5-1.
Episode 27 of Macross was just amazing! Such a closure with love, music, message, and action. I wonder what they will do for the rest of the series.
General feeling
I feel confident. The project feels fathomable. It’s ‘only’ three years; the master’s was two. I’ll create a piece of unique research that builds on existing research. My research proposal and the working title for my project already exist – and that feels like half the work. Now I’ve begun. It feels a bit like having stepped out onto the stage, and once you’re there, it feels much better than the nervous waiting – a year of preparations! Let’s do this.
TV
I’ll admit I also started watching The White Lotus, since I saw it’s by Mike White. Call it a guilty pleasure (guilty since it’s in English and not related to my studies), but I just love contemporary American satire. It’s so well done. Made me think of Woody Allen.