Queer Theory Annotated Bibliography Zachary Ramsey

Argüello, T. M. (2016). Fetishizing the health sciences: Queer theory as an intervention. Journal
of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 28(3), 231–244.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10538720.2016.1191407

Argüello wrote this article to state the importance and use of using Queer Theory in the Health
Sciences, specifically social work. The author gives a brief history of social work in the health
sciences and ultimately that health conditions can be seen as social constructions. Next the
author breaks down queer theory and its deconstruction of social constructs surrounding the
queer identity, and ultimately showed how queer theory could be used in relation to HIV/AIDS
in social work.

This article makes a great case and bridges the divide between the social sciences and the health
sciences. The article is not the best for understanding queer theory. It assumes that you are
already familiar with the theory in some fashion before reading this to be able to grasp the
connections that Argüello is presenting. This I feel is a limitation of a paper that is trying to
argue for said theory to be used in a field that does not use it. This paper does not give a detailed
enough explanation of Queer Theory for readers to be able to take this article, connect the dots,
and apply the theory the way it is described.

Dilley, P. (1999). Queer theory: Under construction. International Journal of Qualitative Studies
in Education, 12(5), 457–472. https://doi.org/10.1080/095183999235890

Patrick Dilley breaks down Queer Theory into what it is and the different ways it is being used.
The article starts out with talking about the different definitions of Queer, then how those
definitions inform what Queer Theory is and the different components of the theory. Finally it
goes into the different aspects of Queer Theory in qualitative research: in language, literature,
and art, historiography, queer life histories/stories, and praxis.

This article is the perfect place to begin to understand Queer Theory. It breaks down everything
so smoothly and efficiently, then proceeds to show how the theory is most commonly used. This
is an excellent beginning source to be able to understand what Queer Theory is and begin to
understand how it is commonly used.

Sullivan, N. (2003). A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory. New York University Press.

The book begins by putting gay and lesbian sexuality and politics in historical context and
demonstrates how and why queer theory emerged in the West in the late twentieth century. Each
chapter focuses on a distinct issue or topic and provides a critical analysis of the specific ways in
which it has been responded to by critics. The book covers a range of topics from the social
construction or same-sex desire, assimilation or liberation, and a question or being or doing to
queer race, performativity, transger warriors, queering straight sex and sadomasochism as
resistance.

While this book covers the discourse of the chapter’s topic very well, it would not be my first
choice to introduce queer theory or to begin to understand what queer theory is. This book
shows how queer theory has been used and how ideas were formed that queer theory has
incorporated, but it does not ever try to explain outright what queer theory is but relies entirely
Queer Theory Annotated Bibliography Zachary Ramsey

on the reader’s prior understanding of the topic and their ability to paint their own picture of
what the theory is from the discourse of each chapter.

Powell, J. (n.d.). Deconstruction for Beginners. Danbury, CT: For Beginners, LLC.

This reading is the beginners guide to understanding Derrida’s Deconstruction. It gives quick
explanations of différance, signifiers and signified, traces, and signs. The article gives a succinct
summary of the basic ideas of deconstruction and the flow of ideas form one to the next.

This reading is the perfect reading to begin your understanding of deconstruction. There is no
lofty language or difficult metaphors to understand. These are simple layman’s descriptions of
what deconstruction is and how to easily understanding it. There are pictures all along the
reading that add levity but do not detract from the simplicity and ease at which the author
expertly explains deconstruction. This article is the first reading I would provide people who are
wanting to understand Deconstruction as it very clearly breaks down the ideas from Derrida.

Rivkin, J., & Ryan, M. (Eds.). (n.d.). Introduction: Introductory Deconstruction. In Literary
Theory: An Anthology (2nd Edition, pp. 275–261). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

This chapter gives and introduction to Derrida’s Deconstruction. This chapter focuses on
différance and the relationship that constructs have between each other and the reliance that their
definitions and understandings have on each other.

The chapter is written in a very academic language. This makes it difficult at times to
understand especially if this is the first source that you use to start understanding a difficult topic
such as deconstruction. The chapter explains différance very well but does not give any further
information on how to begin to use the idea of différance.