Anti-humanism, affects and the sexuality-assemblage

1. Anti-humanism, affects and the sexuality-assemblage Nick Fox, University of Sheffield, UK Pam Alldred, Brunel University, UK

2. Introduction • Rationale for the paper. • Anthropocentrism and sexuality. • Anti-humanism and sexuality. • Study of young men’s sexuality. • The hetero-masculinity assemblage.

3. Rationale for the paper Two theoretical moves are required to resist ‘humanist enticements’ (e.g. individualism, free will, identity) associated with sexuality. • Post-structuralism has shown how sexual knowledgeabilities are culturally-specific. • Anti-humanist turn sees sexual bodies and desires as products of an impersonal and nomadic sexuality that flows between bodies, things, ideas and social formations.

4. Anthropocentrism • Gives priority to human bodies, human subjects and human experience. • Reflected in: • Humanism • Romanticism • Individualism • Identity politics

5. Sexuality and anthropocentrism Anthropocentric accounts : ‘... classify sexual desires according to a very limited number of formulaic syntheses of genders and sexes: there is the norm (heterosexuality), then an inversion of the norm turned into an exclusive disjunction from the norm (homosexuality), then a perversion of the norm in a whole range of in-betweens (bisexuality and, to a much lesser degree, transsexuality).’ (Lambevski 2004: 306).

6. Anti-humanist approaches • Human bodies and subjects are no longer privileged as agents. • Focuses instead on assemblages of bodies, things, ideas, social institutions. • Elements within assemblages affect and are affected by each other. • These flows of affect produce capacities in bodies, collectivities and things.

7. Anti-humanism and sexuality • Sexuality is an impersonal, nomadic flow of affect within assemblages of bodies, things, ideas and social institutions and formations. • This flow produces sexual (and other) capacities to desire in bodies, and hence manifestations of sexuality. • Sexuality is consequently both infinitely variable and typically highly constrained (by capitalism, patriarchy, heteronormativity, genitality ,etc. ).

8. From ontology to methodology • Use social methods that: • Explore the flows of affect in sexuality-assemblages. • Identify the forces that produce conventional sexualities. • Assess how to resist these forces.

9. The sexuality of young men • Alldred & David’s study (2007) of young people’s views of sex education and teenage pregnancy. • Focus group with eight white, working-class young men in ‘alternative education’ provision; history of multiple exclusions and tales of victimisation by teachers. • Context: English town in industrial decline; viewed as teenage pregnancy ‘hotspot’.

10. Data analysis methodology • Noisy and riotous engagement, with constant overlapping and interrupting. • Approach the focus groups as ethnography (‘writing culture’) rather than interviews. • No attempt to make claims of ‘authenticity’ or ‘identity’ by recourse to quotations from the transcript.

11. 1. Sexuality produced relationally • Boastful heterosexualised masculinities (initially understood as flirtation) is the product of status hierarchical affects. • This reflects location within a broader assemblage of hetero-patriarchal, economic and educational affects. • These produce both ‘manual workers’ and a hetero-masculinist sexuality.

12. 2. Sexuality as capacity • The analysis sees the hetero-masculinity of these young men not as a fixed attribute, but as fleeting opportunities that produce actions and desires in different contexts. • These multiple capacities to affect and be affected emerge from the assemblage of bodies, things and social formations. • Contrasts with Bourdieu ‘s ‘cultural capital‘ , in which capital is owned (or lacked) by bodies.

13. Sexuality as contingent and variable capacities • The physical aggression in this group is a reflection of the competitive affects within the assemblage (e.g. competition for jobs or particular girlfriends,). • Capacities can variously produce hetero-sexuality; male-male aggression; homosocial or homosexual intimacies (and potential for other actions and desires).

14. The hetero-masculinity assemblage boys - school exclusion - education system - alternative education – jobless men - local community norms – teenage pregnancy – benefits - mechanic’s apprenticeship – cars –driving – adult status – cigarettes – take-away food – bodily maturation – height – sexual desire – virginity –’girls’ – ‘being up-for-it’ – erections – peer discourse on heterosex

15. Some conclusions • Sexuality is a flow of affect within an assemblage of human and non-human. • There are myriad possible sexualities. • Capitalism, patriarchy, commodification and genitalism produce narrow sexualities. • There is potential to resist, and explore nomadic sexuality.

16. Anti-humanism, affects and the sexuality-assemblage Nick Fox, University of Sheffield Pam Alldred, Brunel University