Robots, Cyborgs, and the Master/Slave Dialectic

So over on his blog, my partner Christian, who is an artist, has been thinking about the difference between the practice of robot-making and the practice of making cyborg prosthetic devices. Here’s the link to his post, but I”ll reproduce…

This Right Here Is My Swag:

This Right Here Is My Swag:

In other words, the cover for my book! I’m super-happy with the design.

“The Conjectural Body:Gender, Race, and the Philosophy of Music” excerpt WITH lyrics

My book, The Conjectural Body: Gender, Race, and the Philosophy of Music, is being released this month by Rowman & Littlefield. Due to some permissions issues, I was not allowed to print lyrics to “Swagga Like Us” in the book….

This robot is SO not a dick in drag part 2: Beyonce

So, when Madonna is presented with the choice “human or posthuman”?, she clearly chooses humanism (and reproductive futurity). Beyonce, on the other hand, always chooses the posthuman (and a futurity that is not necessarily “reproductive” in the way hetero-whiteness wants…

My first TV interview!(??!!)

So, the local cable news channel interviewed me today about the idea that listening to violent music can cause someone to murder cops: http://charlotte.news14.com/content/top_stories/630138/trial-brings-up-debate-over-music-s-influence-on-behavior The short version is: The idea that “the gangsta rap made me do it” rests on…

"Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic," or, paging Jana Sterbak

“Flesh Dress for an Albino Anorectic,” or, paging Jana Sterbak

So, Gaga’s new cover for Vogue Japan is making the rounds on teh internets today: Interestingly, nobody is mentioning that it’s basically a take on Jana Sterbak’s relatively famous and important piece of feminist art, “Vanitas: Flesh Dress for an…

Janel Monae vs. Shephard Fairey

Janel Monae vs. Shephard Fairey

As promised, here is an excerpt from a work in progress where I read Monae as critiquing Shephard Fairey’s appropriation/use of images of radicalized non-Western women of color. First, let’s put some images in play. They are, in this order:…

Janel Monae vs. Madonna/Beyonce/Gaga

So, commenter Andrew asked why I wasn’t including Janel Monae in my series on Afrofuturism. There are a few reasons, including: 1. She’s not a “pop diva”–i.e., she’s a critical darling, yes, but she’s neither a multiplatinum-selling nor an arena-filling…

I miss bell hooks, too.

You should check out Gina Ulysse’s post in the Ms. Magazine blog, “Why I miss bell hooks”. A short excerpt: “Where was the feminist response to this incident? I don’t doubt for a minute that Black feminists talked about it…

“This robot is so not a ‘dick in drag'”, Entry 1: Madonna

Precisely because she extols the liberatory power of hetero sex, Madonna remains firmly within the humanism that Lee Edelman identifies as “reproductive futurism.” In spite of all the love she gets from 80s white feminists and from gay men, Madonna’s…