DOCSLIB.ORG

Millian Liberalism and Extreme Pornography

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Millian Liberalism and Extreme Pornography Millian Liberalism and Extreme Pornography Nick Cowen King’s College London Abstract: How sexuality should be regulated in a liberal political community is an important, controversial theoretical and empirical question—as shown by the recent criminalization of possession of some adult pornography in the United Kingdom. Supporters of criminalization argue that Mill, often considered a staunch opponent of censorship, would support prohibition due to his feminist commitments. I argue that this account underestimates the strengths of the Millian account of private conduct and free expression, and the consistency of Millian anticensorship with feminist values. A Millian contextual defense of liberty, however, suggests several other policy approaches to addressing the harms of pornography. hatplacedoespornographyhaveinaliberal sexual penetration; acts that appear to threaten a person’s society?1 Williams (1979), in his role as life; acts that inflict serious harm on the breasts, geni- W chair of the British Home Office Committee talia, or anus; and acts of necrophilia and bestiality. While on Obscenity and Film Censorship, famously bound many images falling under this definition offend and dis- Mill’s harm principle to a defense of pornography, and turb people, liberal opponents are concerned that the Millian thought has been central to this debate ever prohibition includes fictional representations, in particu- since. Some feminist critics of pornography offer a new lar, depictions of common sexual fantasy scenarios (Joyal, pro-censorship Millian account, supported by Mill’s Cossette, and Lapierre 2015), as well as a range of sex acts commitments to women’s emancipation and aversion to that may appear subjectively dangerous or degrading, but humanity’s animalistic sexual appetites (McGlynn and are safe and frequently enjoyed when practiced between Rackley 2009; McGlynn and Ward 2014). While other the- informed, consenting adults. The prohibition targets peo- orists reject aspects of a liberal framework in order to jus- ple for possessing depictions of sex acts, rather than in- tify censorship (Langton 2009a; MacKinnon 1993, 2001), volvement in real acts that are either seriously harmful or this new Millian argument extends the debate because it nonconsensual (Murray 2009). It applies characteristics uses liberal premises to justify regulating highly personal of existing law regulating publication to cases involving expression. private possession (Attwood and Walters 2013, 977). As a The prohibition of “extreme pornography” in the result, even personal images, depicting intimate encoun- United Kingdom (Criminal Justice and Immigration Act ters with a partner, can be criminalized. 2008) and its recent extension (Criminal Justice and The prosecution of Simon Walsh, in August 2012, Courts Act 2015) inspired and invigorated this argument illustrates this problem. The Crown Prosecution Service for censorship. The law was introduced with the express for England and Wales charged him with possession of intention of protecting women from the harm of pornog- several photographic images taken at a private sex party, raphy (Carline 2011). It bans the possession of obscene in which he participated, that depicted allegedly harm- and explicit depictions of the following: nonconsensual ful acts of “fisting” and “urethral sounding” (Rackley and Nick Cowen is Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Economy, King’s College London, Second Floor, Strand Building, Strand Campus, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom ([email protected]). I am deeply indebted to John Meadowcroft, Adrian Blau, and Stuart White for providing essential help at crucial stages in my research. Thanks are also due to Elizabeth Morrow, Siddhartha Bandyopadhyay, Aris Trantidis, Alex Dymock, Chris Ashford, Bill Glod, and the three anonymous referees for providing important comments and corrections, as well as Hilary Davies (Royal Literary Fund Fellow) for advice on language and presentation. This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ES/J500057/1) and the Institute for Humane Studies. 1In order to avoid a circular argument over definitions (Dworkin 2006, 300), I follow the prevailing working definition of pornography as sexually explicit material intended to arouse (McGlynn and Ward 2014). American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 60, No. 2, April 2016, Pp. 509–520 C 2015 The Authors. American Journal of Political Science published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Midwest Political Science Association. DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12238 This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 509 510 NICK COWEN McGlynn 2013). Walshwas acquitted following expert de- “direct” harm that denies the real harms and injustice of fense evidence suggesting that the acts depicted were rel- pornographic expression beyond that directly associated atively safe. However, the process outed Walsh as gay and with its production (McGlynn and Ward 2014, 503). Once derailed his professional career, including a legal practice these abstractions are dismissed, those in favor of censor- that had specialized in investigating corruption within ship suggest that liberals can approach questions of free British police forces, and public life, as an aide to the expression and individual liberty on a more contingent, mayor of London (Attwood and Walters 2013, 975). case-by-case basis (McGlynn and Ward 2009, 341). Liber- The Crown Prosecution Service maintains that the als should acknowledge the existence of “cultural harm,” acts depicted were “extreme” even if the jury disagreed namely, harms that contribute to a “social environment in in this case, suggesting they see this kind of prosecu- which sexual violence is marginalised, in which rape con- tion as in line with government policy. This illustrates viction rates are at an all time low and in which pornog- the difficulty that prosecutors have had interpreting the raphy is becoming (if possible) even more ubiquitous” law. There are particular legal vulnerabilities for sexual (McGlynn and Rackley 2010, 9). A Millian, on this ac- minorities, including individuals with a lesbian, gay, bi- count, should endorse this approach because Mill himself sexual or transgender orientation, and practitioners of does not systematically define harm, nor a way of dealing bondage, domination and sadomasochism. More than a with conflicts between liberties (McGlynn and Ward 2014, thousand prosecutions happen annually (Crown Prose- 506). Moreover, reading the “Applications” section of On cution Service 2015, 92). In contrast to these observed Liberty,andThe Subjection of Women provides plenty of harms arising from prosecution, there is comparatively exceptions to any notional “harm principle” (Dyzenhaus little evidence that allowing access to extreme pornog- 1992b, 534; McGlynn and Ward 2014, 506). The pro- raphy causes or encourages violence against women, or censorship case adds that pornography, especially extreme is associated with specific social harms (Diamond 2009; pornography, cannot conceivably be valuable expression, Ferguson and Hartley 2009; cf. Itzin, Taket, and Kelly and so liberals should commend its prohibition. 2007). Nevertheless, feminist supporters of the law, If successful, this case justifies censorship on a broad though critical of its implementation in particular cases, basis, impacting not just on expression made in public including that of Walsh, argue for the principle of censor- but also ideas shared in private (indeed intimate) set- ship using Millian liberal premises. tings. This could render prosecutions such as Walsh’s an unfortunate but, potentially, necessary part of the process of a political community deliberating and discovering the shared boundaries of acceptable behavior (cf. Johnson The Millian Case for Censorship 2010). If the case fails, then the ban loses an important normative justification and may appear more like a sheer The Williams report made Millian principles of free ex- exercise of state power with the reactionary function of pression (1979, 53) and the harm principle (1979, 57) a punishing alleged sexual deviancy (Carline 2011) and re- core part of the liberal defense of sexually explicit material. inforcing some sexual minority practices as taboo (Tebble The report criticized the application of the legal notion of 2011). “obscenity” as unworkable and subjective (1979, 11), and My case for the latter is as follows. Millian2 liberalism drew attention to the lack of evidence of specific harms, sees rights as political, not metaphysical. Critiquing the especially sexual offenses, associated with the availability ontological status of rights does not impact straightfor- of pornography (1979, 79). The report did not advo- wardly on the content of the rights that a Millian defends. cate a laissez-faire policy, instead endorsing regulations The harm principle affirms a tractable set of rights that on displays of pornography to prevent public offense and includes possession of extreme pornography. Rather than to protect children from inappropriate material (1979, rendering the harm principle indeterminate, the “Appli- 130). However, the report argued that criminal prohibi- cations” section of On Liberty helps to establish its bound- tion should be restricted to material created by inflicting aries by explaining what counts as private conduct to be actual physical
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Free-Speech-And-The-Law-Obscene-Publications.Pdf
    Free Speech & The Law Obscene Publications Obscene Publications Free Speech & The Law This is part of a series of guides produced by Index on Censorship on the laws related to freedom of expression in England and Wales. They are intended to help understand the protections that exists for free speech and where the law currently permits restrictions. Cover image by Thomas Hawk (CC BY-NC 2.0) This guide was produced by Index on Censorship, in partnership with Clifford Chance. ​ ​ Free Speech & The Law - Obscene Publications Guide – Index on Censorship Table of contents Obscene publications offences explained 3 What does Article 10(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights say? 3 Overview of UK laws 7 The Obscene Publications Act 1959 7 What is “obscene”? 7 Offences 8 Update to the CPS guidance on obscenity 9 Defences under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 10 Theatres Act 1968 11 Indecent Displays (Control) Act 1981 12 Outraging public decency 12 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 13 Where can I find out more information about obscenity law? 14 Page 2 of 14 Free Speech & The Law - Obscene Publications Guide – Index on Censorship Obscene publications offences explained It is nearly 300 years since bookseller Edmund Curll was convicted in 1727 on a ​ ​ charge of obscenity in an English court for his publication of the mildly pornographic Venus in the Cloister or The Nun in Her Smock. Obscenity was thereafter recognised as a crime under common law. Since then, the definition of obscenity has narrowed from the broad concept under common law of engendering “revulsion, disgust or outrage” (although this remains the definition of obscenity for the offence of outraging public decency) to the notoriously vague current definition under the Obscene ​ Publications Act 1959 of “tending to deprave and corrupt”.
    [Show full text]
  • Using Stainless Steel Chopstick for Self-Performing Urethral Sounding in Preventing Recurrence of Anterior Urethral Stricture
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector CASE REPORT Using Stainless Steel Chopstick for Self-performing Urethral Sounding in Preventing Recurrence of Anterior Urethral Stricture Yu-Hung Lin, William Ji-Sien Huang*, Kuang-Kuo Chen Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and Department of Urology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. Male urethral stricture is prone to recurrence, ranging from 40% to 80% according to the length of stricture no matter what treatment is introduced. Therefore, it has long been a common challenge for urologists to handle the problem. Sounding or self-dilation has proved to be effective in reducing the recurrence rate significantly. However, a standard equipment set of urethral bougie is too expensive for a patient’s own use. On the other hand, the performance of regular outpatient sounding is time-consuming and costly. We present an easy way to perform urethral self-dilation using a stainless steel chopstick, which has proved to be cost effective and satisfactory for patients. From February 2001 to February 2003, 6 patients, with a mean age of 64.6 years (range 47–79), were introduced to this maneuver after a urethrotomy and were taught how to perform self-sounding with a stainless steel chopstick (18 Fr equivalent). The distance of advancement was determined individually by calibrating the location of the stricture. The long-term result of this maneuver was later checked with a telephone questionnaire about urination status in April 2005.
    [Show full text]
  • Urethral Sounding: Let’S Try It!
    Urethral Sounding: Let’s Try It! Contributors: Beyond_Bottom and DickStuffer from FetLife Q&A List: 1. Strategically, just lube a lot and slide it in slowly, yes? Beyond_Bottom Strategically, just lube a lot and slide it in slowly, yes? Yes. In fact, a well lubed sound will slide in on its own with gravity ideally. It may take some coaxing with the first one, till the lube is well applied. Using a medicinal syringe, like for kid's medicine, works very well for getting the lube in. DickStuffer That's about right, and of course everything should be clean. 2. Going from mild to wild, what makes sounds interesting for you? Estim? Vibe? Something else? Beyond_Bottom For me, it's all about pushing my limits and trying new things. The feeling of a sound vibrating against the prostate is absolutely amazing. While I haven't had the opportunity to experience e-stim with sounding but vibrating sounds and bullet vibes on regular sounds I strongly recommend it. It's now one of my favorite types of play. DickStuffer Just the deep-down feeling of having a urethra full of steel going as deeply as the bladder sphincter when possible. 3. Describing what it feels like to someone who has never felt it, what would you compare it to? Beyond_Bottom It's very difficult to describe. But it is not like anything they have ever felt before. Once you get past any initial discomfort, the pleasure starts to happen. I think it is similar to anal play in that regard. It's important to stay relaxed.
    [Show full text]
  • Ready for Something New? We've Got 28 Types of Kinky Sex Toys
    Ready for Something New? We’ve Got 28 Types of Kinky Sex Toys to Spice Things Up healthline.com/health/healthy-sex/kinky-bdsm-sex-toys Before you use any of the below In BDSM — that’s bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism — there’s a guiding principle known as RACK, which is an acronym for risk-aware consensual kink, says Lisa Finn, a sex educator at sex toy boutique Babeland. The gist behind it is that all the participants involved in a certain sex act (sometimes called “scene”) are aware of the potential risks involved and will do what they can to mitigate those risks. Whether you consider yourself a long-time participant in the BDSM scene — or just want to dip your bits into the world of kinky sex toys — this principle should guide your use of these toys. In fact, Finn says, “Because consent and safety should be top of mind with any sexual interaction, RACK is good practice to integrate for all types of sex.” Let this guide introduce you to and teach you a bit about kinky toys you may never have heard of before. But don’t let it be your only research on how to use them correctly and safely. 1/12 For that, pleasure-based, queer-inclusive sex educator and sex positivity advocate Lateef Taylor recommends hiring a Dominatrix, watching A LOT of online tutorials, or going to Impact Play classes at your local sex shop. Blindfolds If there’s one kinky sex toy non-kinksters aren’t snoozing on, it’s blindfolds.
    [Show full text]
  • A Case Report on the Application of Habanero Pepper Juice During Recreational Urethral Sounding
    Exploring Sexual Diversity: A Case Report on the Application of Habanero Pepper Juice during Recreational Urethral Sounding Jeremy N. Thomas and D J Williams Idaho State University and Center for Positive Sexuality (Los Angeles) As most of the information on recreational urethral sounding comes from case reports of men seeking medical treatment, there is limited knowledge regarding the variety of ways that sounding is actually conducted as part of sexual gratification. This article reports on the novel case of a middle-aged man applying habanero pepper juice during the sounding process. Implications for theoretical framing as well as guidance for health care providers and other clinicians are discussed. Recreational urethral sounding (hereafter sounding) is an unconventional but not necessarily rare sexual practice (Breyer & Shindel, 2012). Typically performed by men in conjunction with masturbation and other sexual activities (Rinard et al., 2010), sounding involves the insertion of objects into the urethra, including not only metal or plastic dilators specifically designed for the purpose, but also any of an array of commonly available household items such as pens and pencils, spoon and fork handles, hairpins, and Q-tips (Hogan, Young, Gabbert, & Armstrong, 2011; Rinard et al., 2010). Related activities include recreational catheterization (Hogan et al., 2011), piercing the urethra for sexual or aesthetic purposes (Thomas, Crosby, & Milford, 2015), and the insertion of liquids into the urethra such as wax, alcohol, and baby oil (Hogan et al., 2011; Rinard et al., 2010). Sounding is associated with health risks including urinary tract infections (Breyer & Shindel, 2012; Hogan et al., 2011), bleeding (Kwong & Larner, 2012), strictures (Amiroune, Bouchikhi, & Adawi, 2014; Rahman, Elliott, & McAninch, 2004), and loss of foreign bodies (Chipde, Pradhan, Yadav, Kapoor, & Kapoor, 2012; Song et al., 2013).
    [Show full text]
  • Emma Jane Armstrong Harcourt
    University of Otago The Affect of Language on Attitudes Towards Levonorgestrel-based Emergency Contraception Myths and Misconceptions Emma Jane Armstrong Harcourt A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science Communication Centre for Science Communication, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand March 2017 i ii Abstract Globally, there is at least one registered form of emergency or post-coital contraception registered in 146 countries, with a further 22 countries importing emergency contraceptive products. By far the most commonly accessed emergency contraceptive, levonorgestrel-based emergency contraception (LNG- EC) features in the essential medicines list (EML) of 62 countries, out of a total of 118 countries with publicly available EMLs. LNG-EC is a safe and effective way of preventing an unintended pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse has occurred. The current consensus is that LNG-EC works primarily through the suppression of ovulation and thus prevents the fusion of sperm and ovum (fertilisation). It is unlikely that LNG-EC acts after fertilisation and it cannot harm an established pregnancy. However, the information presented to the public frequently implies that LNG-EC can impair the implantation process, wherein a blastocyst attaches to the wall of the uterus. This post-fertilisation action is morally unacceptable to many. My work concerns how the language used to describe how LNG-EC prevents a pregnancy effects attitudes towards the medication. There are prevalent misconceptions of how the medication acts and the effect that access to LNG-EC has on sexual behaviour, such as that it may harm an early embryo or that access to the medication encourages riskier sexual practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Drug Use and Possession in a Sexual Context and Simulation of the Same
    FIRST AMENDMENT LAWYERS ASSOCIATION 2009 Winter Meeting New Orleans, Louisiana Extreme Content: Projecting the Risk of Obscenity Prosecution 2000 to 2008 J. D. OBENBERGER. Esq. J. D. Obenberger and Associates 3700 Three First National Plaza 70 West Madison Street Chicago, IL 60602 312.558.6420 [email protected] http://www.xxxlaw.com 2000 - 2008 Obscenity Prosecutions: Categories of Risk Adapted for the First Amendment Lawyers’ Association Winter Meeting February 7, 2009 – New Orleans, Louisiana A. Introduction. Sources This effort is not intended to identify what is and what is not obscene under the law. Instead, it is intended as an effort to identify and categorize depictions of certain acts as they may increase the risk of obscenity prosecution – an assessment based on state and federal prosecutions during the period 2000 to 2008. It certainly does not claim to directly assess the chances of conviction or acquittal. In preparing this List, I have considered obscenity arrests and prosecutions reported in AVN, XBIZ, Free Speaker published by the Free Speech Coalition, Department of Justice press releases, and other online sources, looking for and identifying any repeated indicators of risk. Because there have been few prosecutions, the dots which need to be connected are necessarily widely spread. The result is that the categorization possesses a fair amount of speculation; I cannot claim any particular precision or anything approaching scientific method in the categorization. The List is simply my best judgment. The most important data points I relied upon are set forth after the List and after a listing of in this Memorandum of other factors which may influence prosecution decisions.
    [Show full text]
  • UPDATED Ruberg Full Dissertation PROQUEST Copy
    UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Pixel Whipped: Pain, Pleasure, and Media Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5qs4r39x Author Ruberg, Bonnie Publication Date 2015 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Pixel&Whipped:&Pain,&Pleasure,&and&Media& & & by& & Bonnie&Ruberg& & & & A&dissertation&submitted&in&partial&satisfaction&of&the& & requirements&for&the&degree&of& & Doctor&of&Philosophy& & in& & Comparative&Literature& & and&the&Designated&Emphases&in& & New&Media& & and& & Women,&Gender&and&Sexuality& & in&the& & Graduate&Division& & of&the& & University&of&California,&Berkeley& & & & Committee&in&charge:& & Professor&Michael&Lucey,&Chair& Professor&Eric&Naiman& Professor&David&Bates& Professor&Abigail&DeKosnik& & & Summer&2015& & Abstract! ! Pixel!Whipped:!Pain,!Pleasure,!and!Media! ! by! ! Bonnie!Ruberg! ! Doctor!of!Philosophy!in!Comparative!Literature! ! Designated!Emphases!in!New!Media!and!Women,!Gender!and!Sexuality! ! University!of!California,!Berkeley! ! Professor!Michael!Lucey,!Chair! ! ! At!a!time!when!technology!seems!increasingly!poised!to!render!the!material!realities!of!its! users!obsolete,!putting!the!body!back!into!digital!media!has!become!a!matter!of!pressing! social!significance.!Scholars!like!Lisa!Nakamura!have!written!compellingly!about!the! importance!of!attending!to!the!embodied!identities!of!those!who!sit!behind!the!screen:!a! crucial!step!toward!disrupting!the!systems!of!inequality!that!characterize!much!of!twentyM
    [Show full text]
  • University of Minnesota
    UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Twin Cities Campus Department of Psychiatry F282/2A West Medical School 2450 Riverside Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55454 Office: 612-273-9800 June 1, 2013 Don Feeney Minnesota State Lottery Dear Don, it is a great pleasure to provide this letter to support the nomination of Mark Griffiths for the NCPG's Lifetime Achievement. Mark’s productive research career and his prominent role as a long-standing leader in the field easily make him worthy of NCPG’s lifetime award. Sincerely, Ken C. Winters, Ph.D. Professor [email protected] 1 May 16, 2013 Awards Committee International Journal National Council on Problem Gambling of Mental Health and Washington, D.C. Addiction Subject: Nomination of Professor Mark Griffiths, Ph.D. for the NCPG Lifetime Research Award I am honored to nominate Professor Mark Griffiths, Ph.D. for the NCPG Lifetime Research Award. Professor Griffiths is with no doubt one of the leading researchers in the field of gambling. With hundreds of peer- reviewed articles, reports, and book chapters under his belt, Professor Griffiths is the youngest professor/reader ever appointed at Nottingham Trent University. To honor his extra-ordinary achievements, we have dedicated an entire issue (2007) to Professor Griffiths. Editor-in-Chief: Masood Zangeneh ISSN: 1557-1874 (print version) Professor Griffiths has served on countless local, national and Journal no. 11469 international committees and editorial board (including our journal’s Springer New York editorial board), and has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards. His writings have appeared in countless peer reviewed journals and magazines. Professor Griffiths has immensely contributed to growth of gambling research on several fronts (theory, treatment and policy) worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • THE2NDHAND.Com Or for $2 (Or Three Eventually, at a Fenced-In Beer Garden Stamps) Per Issue to Editor/Publisher Todd Dills at the Birmingham Address Below
    t h e 2 n d h and no. 30 birmingham, chicago, austin, philadelphia... | new writing winter 2008-‘09 When the authorities called for the demolition early in 2008 of the Parliament House hotel in Birmingham (pictured, above left), a 1960s-built monstrosity of modest mon- Gives Birth to Monsters strousness and with the long vertical and horizontal lines of the best utilitarian sixties architecture, we at THE2NDHAND southern co-HQ didn‘t immediately realize we‘d have a by Spencer Dew clear line of sight to the destruction. When we did, armed with camera and the squirrelly interiority of anticipation, we were surprised to be further struck dumb by the spectacle, bringing to mind as it did ing what look like hollow-core knitting nee- hursday, Seoul Café has sports bloopers the collapse of so many things. The lack of words for the experience, most times signifying failure for a dles, rubber tubing, and a dog strapped writer, we find ultimately appropriate; it‘s a dynamic well at work among the players in Spencer Dew‘s on the televisions above the empty t upside down to a tree. —Give Birth to Monsters,“ too, featured in this issue. As the story‘s narrator lives life meaning well, most- karaoke stage. From my seat in our usual ly, he follows a specter from his recent past through the text function on his cell–the vast connected- I am here because it’s near some bar high-backed booth, I watch a series of skiers, ness of things renders his imagination hyperactive but his gut, that part he feels his world with, curious- where I’m supposed to meet Edgerton, and ly–and comically, in vintage Dew characterization–numb.
    [Show full text]
  • UPDATED Ruberg Full Dissertation PROQUEST Copy
    Pixel&Whipped:&Pain,&Pleasure,&and&Media& & & by& & Bonnie&Ruberg& & & & A&dissertation&submitted&in&partial&satisfaction&of&the& & requirements&for&the&degree&of& & Doctor&of&Philosophy& & in& & Comparative&Literature& & and&the&Designated&Emphases&in& & New&Media& & and& & Women,&Gender&and&Sexuality& & in&the& & Graduate&Division& & of&the& & University&of&California,&Berkeley& & & & Committee&in&charge:& & Professor&Michael&Lucey,&Chair& Professor&Eric&Naiman& Professor&David&Bates& Professor&Abigail&DeKosnik& & & Summer&2015& & Abstract! ! Pixel!Whipped:!Pain,!Pleasure,!and!Media! ! by! ! Bonnie!Ruberg! ! Doctor!of!Philosophy!in!Comparative!Literature! ! Designated!Emphases!in!New!Media!and!Women,!Gender!and!Sexuality! ! University!of!California,!Berkeley! ! Professor!Michael!Lucey,!Chair! ! ! At!a!time!when!technology!seems!increasingly!poised!to!render!the!material!realities!of!its! users!obsolete,!putting!the!body!back!into!digital!media!has!become!a!matter!of!pressing! social!significance.!Scholars!like!Lisa!Nakamura!have!written!compellingly!about!the! importance!of!attending!to!the!embodied!identities!of!those!who!sit!behind!the!screen:!a! crucial!step!toward!disrupting!the!systems!of!inequality!that!characterize!much!of!twentyM firstMcentury!Western!digital!culture.!Similarly!dedicated!to!issues!of!social!justice,!this! project!argues!for!turning!attention!to!another!essential!element!of!the!relationship! between!technology!and!the!body:!how!digital!media!makes!users!feel.!Far!from!being! disembodied,!digital!tools!have!become!crucial!platforms!for!expressions!of!selfhood!and!
    [Show full text]
  • November 9 - 11, 2018 Manchester, NH Table of Contents
    November 9 - 11, 2018 Manchester, NH Table of Contents Note from the Board 3 General Event Rules 4 Dress Code 6 Nighttime Party Rules 7 Security, Health, & Safety 8 Consent Policy 9 Friday Night Erotic Art Show 10 Friday Night Ice Breaker 12 BDSM Themed Short Films 12 The KinkyCon Aftercare Munch 13 Presenter Bios 14 Vendor Bingo 19 Vendors 19 Maps 23 Friday Schedule 28 Friday Night Scavenger Hunt 28 Saturday Schedule 30 Sunday Schedule 32 Class Descriptions 34 SIGs and Lounges 50 About the Staff 52 About the Board 54 About Our Sponsor 55 Thank Yous Back Cover Hungry? Boxed lunches may be purchased for Saturday and/or Sunday. Purchases must be made at the Registration Desk by 9:30am the day of. Lunches are $15 each and include: sandwich with lettuce (ham, turkey, or roast beef), chips, fruit, and desert. There is also a vegetarian box option. Looking for more options? See what’s in the area: https://goo.gl/LpWTuV -2- Note from the Board Welcome, and thank you for attending KinkyCon XII! KinkyCon is a grassroots, locally-focused event. Most of our presenters are from our own kinky community. Many of our vendors are folks you know, and they offer their wares at fair prices with exceptional quality, and local service. Our volunteers are from the local community, and give their time to make the Con run as smoothly as possible. They are the reason for the warm, welcoming feel throughout the weekend. The main focus of our Con is education. Every year, we strive to provide a schedule of varied topics, skill levels, and presenters.
    [Show full text]