Queer Theory

Queer theory has its roots in poststructuralism and literary deconstructionism. Hence, the works of Foucault, Derrida, and Lacan are seen as largely influential. Queer theory is tied to the rise in multicultural theory in sociology. Both of these in turn owe much to the rise of postmodern social theory in helping to give voice where none had previously been present.

The rise of poststructuralism played an especially important role in setting the stage for queer theory. Counterintuitively, one reason for this is that poststructuralism leaves a lot of unanswered questions. In fact, poststructuralists delight in their belief that there is no single answer to any question. While this may be frustrating to many, it is also a source of joy and freedom for many others. It ...