The New Lesbian Studies ─ Into the Twenty-First Century

Compiling some of the best scholarship and theory in lesbian studies since the publication of Lesbian Studies in 1982, The New Lesbian Studies: Into the Twenty-First Century considers the history, present, and future of the field. By celebrating the differences among lesbian scholars and attending to the ways in which the field has been shaped by shifting policies and the emergence of queer studies, this collection challenges the limits of lesbian studies while affirming its value.

With 40 essays arranged in six parts, The New Lesbian Studies explores the history of lesbian studies as well as its current impact on conceptions of identity and community, teaching, academic, disciplines, university practices, and the development of feminist and queer theories. This collection offers stirring personal testimony; muliticultural and international perspectives and established and new voices; strategies for integrating lesbian studies into the curriculum; and contributions from lesbians working in libraries, athletic departments, and student services. Throughout, the contributors address the ways in which lesbian studies has transformed and will continue to transform traditional disciplines, practices, and thought.

With its mulitcultural, multidisciplinary breadth and its unique emphasis on theory, practice, and activism, The New Lesbian Studies speaks to a broad audience of students, activists, and scholars:

-Kath Weston on being an "insider" doing gay fieldwork;

-Yolanda Chavez Leyva on creating a Latina lesbian history;

-Leila Rupp on uncovering same-sex love and sexuality in history;

-Vivien Ng on reconstructing the lives of "lesbians" in Chinese history, despite the prevailing opinion that lesbianism is a Western category;

-Evelyn Blackwood on the pitfalls-and importance-of cross-cultural studies;

-Ellen Broidy on "cyberdykes" networking globally and publicly;

-Susan Cahn on the deep-seated homophobia in women's collegiate sports;

-Sharon P. Holland on Audre Lorde and Sappho, and on the essential contributions of black lesbians;

-Judith Halberstam on the possibility of queer lesbian studies.