Abstract
This chapter marks a shift in the focus of this book. So far I have been constructing a positive account of sexuality and sexual identity which I call emerging fusion. I developed this account not only for the sake of understanding the complexities of sexual identity, but also to answer some of the questions and issues that have plagued parts of GLB studies in the recent past: issues of social constructionism versus essentialism and the political value of gay or lesbian identity. Taking each of these issues in turn, I hope now to use the theory to provide some new insight into old problems. I begin with the constructionist debate.
Chapter PDF
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
Copyright information
© 2007 William S. Wilkerson
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Wilkerson, W.S. (2007). Social Constructionism and Essentialism. In: Ambiguity and Sexuality. The Future of Minority Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-05173-8_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-05173-8_10
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-0-230-61965-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-05173-8
eBook Packages: Palgrave Social & Cultural Studies CollectionSocial Sciences (R0)