Male sexuality under surveillance
Subtitle: the office in American literature
By: Graham Thompson.
Publisher: University of Iowa Press; University Of Iowa Press
Published: 2003
Place of publication: Iowa City
Language: eng
Number of pages: 248
Subjects: Melville, Herman, 1819-1891.; Howells, William Dean, 1837-1920.; Lewis, Sinclair, 1885-1951.; American fiction -- History and criticism.; Offices in literature.; Sex (Psychology) in literature.; Sex in literature.; Men in literature.
Description: "Male Sexuality under Surveillance is a lively, intelligent, and expertly argued analysis of the construction of male sexuality in the business office.

Thompson interweaves three main threads: a historicized cultural analysis of the development of the modern business office from its beginnings in the early nineteenth century to the present day, a Foucauldian discussion of the office as the site of various disciplinary practices, and a queer-theoretical discussion of the textualization of the gay male body as a device for producing a taxonomy of male-male relations.

The combination of these themes produces a study that is fresh, insightful, and provocative." "Moreover, this intriguing study simultaneously provides readings of primary texts - ranging from 1853 to 1995 - that contribute substantially to scholarship on these works while advancing and deepening the theoretical discussions from which Male Sexuality under Surveillance derives its premises.".

"Given its comprehensive scope, Male Sexuality under Surveillance will be of interest not only to Americanists in general but also to scholars interested in gender studies and gay and lesbian studies. In addition, because of its focus on the effects of changing economic structures on material culture and social organization, scholars interested in materialist approaches to literature will find the book infinitely valuable."--BOOK JACKET.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [207]-243) and index.