Trans Philosophy
TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly: 13.2: Trans Philosophy
Guest Editors: Perry Zurn and Talia Mae Bettcher
In “Can the ‘Other’ of Philosophy Speak?” Judith Butler argues that the discipline of philosophy has lost itself to its evil twin: the excluded philosophical engagements occurring outside of that discipline, often under the name “Theory.” From the very outset, trans studies has grown from that fertile soil on the margins of the discipline, its founding thinkers (Stone, Stryker, Halberstam) drawing on theorists outside the analytic canon such as Derrida, Foucault, Spivak, and Anzaldúa, among many others.
Within the past decade, however, an academic project formalized under the name ‘trans philosophy’ has appeared within the discipline, just as trans studies itself seems to have lost some of its early zeal for theory – tending, rather, towards the empirical, archival, and performative. This is happening as philosophers, after years of indifference, are drawn into toxic debates, at the forefront of which are so-called “gender critical feminists.” It is a politically charged and highly fraught arena for any trans philosopher to enter.
Contrary to Butler’s own suggestion, then, Philosophy’s Other exists within the profession of philosophy, as well as without, certainly under the name “Continental Philosophy,” but also through subfields such as feminist, Black, Latinx, queer, disability, and decolonial philosophy. It’s a heterogenous Other that has, at its best, striven towards a rich pluralism and a broader dialogue. Certainly, trans philosophy has, from its inception, been concerned about the question of philosophical/ theoretical pluralism. The earliest North American trans philosophers working on trans issues (e.g., Talia Mae Bettcher, Jacob Hale, and Miqqi Alicia Gilbert), whilst trained in so-called “analytic philosophy,” aimed to bring their work beyond those starting points. And “trans philosophy,” as named, emerged from the “pluralist philosophy” program at the University of Oregon, where graduate students organized the first Trans Philosophy conference in 2016. The term has since ping-ponged across Canada, Europe, and certain parts of Central and South America. Yet, while trans philosophy’s original pluralism remains present, the privilege and prestige of analytic philosophy within the field has also influenced the questions and methods that have gained primacy in this marginalized subfield.
In this issue, we pose the following questions. What does trans philosophy have to offer trans theory? How can it contribute meaningfully to the multi- and interdisciplinary field of trans studies? How can trans philosophy make good on its pluralist potential – not only in terms of methodology but in terms of its own political locatedness? What are the benefits and costs of legitimation within the profession? Does such a pluralism require an engagement with gender critical philosophy? And if so, what would that look like? Is the so-called analytic/continental divide still a useful way of making sense of the philosophical landscape? Is it obsolete? What is philosophy, especially under a late capitalist regime? How, if it all, might trans philosophy contribute to a reinvigoration of the discipline and practice of philosophy?
While we are particularly interested in submissions that take up the metaphilosophical and methodological questions, themes, and challenges mentioned above, we are interested in submissions that fall within trans philosophy as broadly defined. This includes but is not limited to topics in metaphysics, epistemology, political philosophy, phenomenology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of the emotions, philosophy of language, and history of philosophy. We especially welcome work that grapples with trans oppression and world-building in conjunction with decoloniality, blackness, Indigenous resurgence, disability justice, crip and mad poetics, and class politics, among other vectors. We also expressly welcome work that decenters US/Anglo trans studies and trans liberation projects and disturbs Global North dominance from without and within. Although submissions can certainly be about trans topics, they needn’t be. More important is that the submission exemplify a trans-centered method or philosophical approach. All trans philosophical approaches are welcome.
Submissions to “Trans Philosophy” may be in the form of:
- Research articles (up to 5,000 words);
- Reviews (up to 2,000 words)—approval needed from editors before submission;
- Syllabi and teaching materials.
The editors are happy to discuss topics of interest with potential contributors.
Contact: Perry Zurn (pzurn@american.edu) or Talia Mae Bettcher (tbettch@calstatela.edu)
To submit a manuscript, please visit https://mc04.manuscriptcentral.com/dup-tsq. Please note that TSQ, like other Duke University Press Journals, has moved to ScholarOne, replacing the prior Editorial Manager platform. If this is your first time using ScholarOne, please register first, then proceed with submitting your manuscript. If you have any difficulties with the process, contact the journal at tsqjournal at gmail.com. All manuscripts must be double-spaced, including quotations and endnotes, and blinded throughout. You must also submit an abstract, keywords, and biographical note at the time of initial submission. Please visit the editorial office's website for a detailed style guide.
TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly is an academic journal edited by Francisco J. Galarte, Dylan McCarthy Blackston, micha cárdenas, Ciara Cremin, and Abraham B. Weil, and published by Duke University Press. TSQ aims to be the journal of record for the interdisciplinary field of transgender studies and to promote the widest possible range of perspectives on transgender phenomena broadly defined. One issue of TSQ each year is a non-themed open call, with the other three issues devoted to special themes; every issue also contains regularly recurring features such as reviews, interviews, and opinion pieces. To learn more about the journal and see calls for papers for other special issues, https://femresin.unm.edu/transgender-studies-quarterly/
