Judith Butler

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American philosopher and gender theorist

Judith Butler

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Judith Butler (born February 24, 1956) is an American philosopher and gender theorist whose work has influenced political philosophy, ethics, and the fields of third-wave feminism, queer theory, and literary theory. Butler is best known for their books Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990) and Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of "Sex" (1993), which challenge conventional notions of gender and develop their theory of gender performativity.

Early Life and Education

Judith Butler was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to a family of Hungarian and Russian descent. They attended Bennington College and then transferred to Yale University, where they received their B.A. in 1978 and their Ph.D. in 1984. Their dissertation was titled "Subjects of Desire: Hegelian Reflections in Twentieth-Century France."

Academic Career

Butler has taught at various institutions, including Wesleyan University, George Washington University, and Johns Hopkins University. They are currently the Maxine Elliot Professor in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Program of Critical Theory at the University of California, Berkeley.

Major Works and Theories

Gender Performativity

One of Butler's most influential contributions is the concept of gender performativity, which they introduced in Gender Trouble. According to Butler, gender is not something one is, but something one does; it is a series of acts and performances that are socially regulated and contextually specific. This theory challenges the binary view of gender and has had a profound impact on queer theory and feminist theory.

Heteronormativity

Butler has also critiqued the concept of heteronormativity, the idea that heterosexuality is the default or normal sexual orientation. They argue that this concept marginalizes and oppresses non-heterosexual identities and relationships.

Precarity

In their later work, Butler has focused on the concept of precarity, which refers to the vulnerability and instability experienced by individuals and groups in contemporary society. They explore how social and political structures contribute to this precarity and call for new forms of solidarity and resistance.

Influence and Legacy

Butler's work has had a significant impact on a wide range of fields, including philosophy, gender studies, queer theory, and cultural studies. They have influenced scholars and activists who challenge traditional notions of gender, sexuality, and identity.

Personal Life

Butler identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. They are in a long-term relationship with political scientist Wendy Brown, with whom they have a child.

Selected Bibliography

• Subjects of Desire: Hegelian Reflections in Twentieth-Century France (1987)
• Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990)
• Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of "Sex" (1993)
• Excitable Speech: A Politics of the Performative (1997)
• Undoing Gender (2004)
• Frames of War: When Is Life Grievable? (2009)

See Also

• Gender studies
• Queer theory
• Feminist theory
• Post-structuralism
• Michel Foucault
• Jacques Derrida