Amia Srinivasan is the Chichele Professor of Social and Political Theory at All Souls College, Oxford, where she works on and teaches political philosophy, feminist theory and epistemology. She is a contributing editor at the London Review of Books. Her essays and criticism--on animals, incels, death, the university, technology, political anger and other topics--have also appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times, Harper's, The Nation and TANK.
Advance Praise
A SUNDAY TIMES (UK) BESTSELLER "Srinivasan refuses to resort to
straw men; she will lay out even the most specious argument clearly
and carefully, demonstrating its emotional power, even if her
ultimate intention is to dismantle it . . . For a book by a
philosopher that makes a vibrant case for theory, The Right to Sex
keeps returning to the reality of lived experience. "
--Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times "This new essay collection
takes on pornography, power, desire and more, drawing on earlier
feminist tradition and connecting questions of freedom to class,
race and disability."
--Joumana Khatib, The New York Times Book Review (Most Anticipated)
"[Srinivasan] shows us how to let philosophical arguments clarify
debates within popular culture, and how to read popular culture as
a way of wrestling with moral -dilemmas related to sex, feminism,
equality, and freedom . . . Imbued with the breath of fresher air,
The Right to Sex demonstrates . . . how the feminist philosopher
can emancipate our basic ethical concepts."
--Judith Butler, New Statesman "Each individual essay in this
collection is complex, requiring an exegesis beyond what the scope
of a single book review can handle, but certain moments stand out
to me as impossible not to highlight . . . On any given page,
Srinivasan will leave you feeling convinced she has found a way
out, only to pull the rug out from under you; whenever she says
"but," one wants to duck."
--Jennifer Wilson, The New Republic "Persuasive and daring . . .
Srinivasan does not shy away from the difficult tensions that [her
thesis] throws into relief."
--Becca Rothfeld, Boston Review "The Right to Sex is a truly
stunning debut, sure to provoke, unmoor, and inspire many."
--Audrey Clare Farley, Washington Independent Review of Books "The
emergence of a writer like Srinivasan, who asks feminists to go
further, is an enormous gift to the discourse."
--Jessica Ferri, The Los Angeles Times "A daring feminist
collection considers pornography, desire and the boundaries within
student-teacher relationships . . . Compelling . . . The book
effectively highlights how sexual desire--who we are and are not
attracted to--is political and affected."
--Rafia Zakaria, The Guardian (UK) "The philosopher's debut, The
Right to Sex, deftly unpacks the politics of sexual desire, the
nuances of the call to 'believe women', and fulfills our need for a
deeper interrogation of modern feminism . . . [An] urgent call for
an intersectional approach to feminism, which is the only way to
build an equal society for women . . . Extraordinary."
--Brit Dawson, Dazed "To accompany Srinivasan on her thought-work
into unpacking, questioning, considering, contextualizing, and
deepening contemporary feminist issues is to be stretched into new
shapes that the world needs. Srinivasan's powerful thinking is
matched by her powerful language, often striking like an electric
revelation at the core of an issue. [The Right to Sex] is required
reading."
--Emily Dziuban, Booklist (starred review) "This exceptionally
well-written collection is among the most insightful works yet
about sex in modern culture. It effectively merges academic
analysis with lived experience in an accessible read that will
interest readers from diverse professional and personal
backgrounds."
--Sarah Schroeder, Library Journal "Revelatory . . . Srinivasan's
grasp on the arguments and movements of her forebears is
spectacular. Her ability to explain complex concepts and issues
simply makes the reader's job both easy and enjoyable . . .
Srinivasan is a phenomenal philosopher . . . It's up to us to start
taking the steps. My explicit recommendation, for what it's worth,
is to begin by reading this book."
--Bri Lee, The Monthly "Srinivasan's true subject is the need for
nuance and generosity in contemporary discourse on sex . . .
[Written with] gliding rigor and sharp edges . . . She takes her
opponents at their strongest, she braves ambiguity, and she holds
up contradictory evidence to see if her argument still works . . .
Srinavasan's work is too interesting to be perfect. It's
superb."
--Naoise Dolan, The Irish Times "[Srinivasan] boldly examines the
politics and ethics of sex--past, present and future--in her new
work of non-fiction. The Right To Sex is a series of essays in
which Srinivasan makes her way through consent, pornography,
freedom, teacher and student relationships, male grievance, desire,
intersectionality and more . . . Her writing will draw you in and
teach you something."
--Hannah Millington, The Independent ("5 New Books to Read This
Week") "Amia Srinivasan reveals both the material opportunities and
dead-ends of a century-long conscious trajectory towards female
empowerment. The Right to Sex reminds us of the foundational
complexities to Women's Liberation ideas and why we are still
grappling with them. This gathering of evidence invites readers to
create new knowledge."
--Sarah Schulman, author of Let the Record Show: A Political
History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993 "From its luminous beginning
words, Amia Srinivasan's magnificent first book announces itself as
a classic. Already one of our most superlative philosophers and
stylish essayists, Srinivasan shows that concern for the plight of
the most oppressed is never disconnected from general explorations
of and movements for free lives for everyone, and the renovated
social order our common future requires."
--Samuel Moyn, author of Humane: How the United States Abandoned
Peace and Reinvented War
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