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CODA:
THECOSTOFGETTINGBETTER
Suicide,Sensation,Switchpoints
JasbirK.Puar

herearemanythingslostinthenamingofadeathasagayyouthsuicide.

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Inwhatfollows,Iofferapreliminaryanalysisoftheprolificmediaattentionto
gayyouthsuicidesthatbeganintheUnitedStatesinthefallof2010.Iaminter
estedinhowthisattentionrecallsaffectiveattachmentstoneoliberalismthat
indexaprivilegedgeopoliticsoffinancecapitalism.Ihavebeenstruckbyhow
thediscoursessurroundinggayyouthsuicidepartakeinaspuriousbinarizationof
whatIforegroundasaninterdependentrelationshipbetweenbodilycapacityand
bodilydebility.Thesediscoursesreproduceneoliberalismsheighteneddemands
forbodilycapacity,evenasthissameneoliberalismmarksoutpopulationsfor
whatLaurenBerlanthasdescribedasslowdeaththedebilitatingongoing
nessofstructuralinequalityandsuffering.1IntheUnitedStates,wherepersonal
debtincurredthroughmedicalexpensesisthenumberonereasonforfilingfor
bankruptcy,thecentralityofwhatistermedthemedicalindustrialcomplexto
theprofitabilityofslowdeathcannotbeoverstated.2Myinterventionhereisan
attempttogobeyondacritiqueofthequeerneoliberalismembeddedintheten
dentiousmythologizingthatitgetsbetterbyconfrontingnotonlythedebilitating
aspectsofneoliberalismbut,moretrenchantly,theeconomicsofdebility.Ifthe
knittingtogetheroffinancecapitalismandthemedicalindustrialcomplexmeans
thatdebilitypays,andpayswell,thenthequestionbecomes,howcananaffective
politicsmovebeyondtheconventionalnarrativesofresistancetoneoliberalism?

GLQ18:1
DOI10.1215/106426841422179
2011byDukeUniversityPress

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TheCostofGettingBetter
Tobegin,Iposetwoqueries:one,whatiscontainedinthecategoryofsexual
ity?Two,whatkindsofnormativetemporalassumptionsareproducedthrough
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theeventofsuicide?AsafacultymemberofRutgersUniversityinNewJersey,
whereastudent,TylerClementi,committedsuicideaftervideosofhimhaving
sexwithamanwerecirculatedbyhisroommateandanotherstudent,Iwantto
providebettercontextforthelocalcircumstancesofhisdeath.Allthreestudents
(Clementi,DharunRavi,andMollyWei)werelivingonBuschcampusinPis
cataway,NewJersey,alreadycodifiedasthecampusforscience/premedgeeks
(somemightsaysissies).BuschisalsoraciallydemarcatedastheAsiancam
pus,anidentityrarelydisaggregatedfromgeekatUScolleges.Clementissui
cidehaspredictablyoccasionedaviciousantiAsianbacklashrepletewithover
determinednotionsofAsianhomophobiaandpredictablecallstogobackto
whereyoucamefrom,asseeninnumerousonlinearticles.Commentingonthe
biasesofthecriminaljusticesystemagainstpeopleofnonnormativerace,ethnic
ity,andcitizenship,apressreleasefromaRutgersorganizationcalledQueering
theAirnotesthatGardenStateEquality(aNewJerseyLGBTadvocacygroup)
andCampusPride(anationalgroupforLGBTstudents)havedemandedthemost
severeconsequencesforRaviandWei,prosecutionforhatecrimes,maximumjail
time,expulsionwithoutdisciplinaryhearing,andthat18,000peopleendorsean
onlinegroupseekingevenmoreseriouschargesmanslaughter.3
Itseemsimperativethattheimplicationsoftwomodelminoritystudents
fromawealthyNewJerseysuburbwhotargetedaneffete,young,queerwhiteman
beconsideredbeyondconvenientnarrativesofthesocalledinherenthomophobia
withinracializedimmigrantcommunities.Isitpossibletoseeallthreestudents
involvedasmorealikeallgeeks,infactthandifferent?Insteadofrehash
ingthatoldgaybashersareclosetcasescanard,perhapsthereisareasonto
destabilizethealignmentsofalikenessanddifferenceawayfromasingular,
predictableaxisthroughsexuality.AletterrecentlycirculatedbyQueeringthe
AirclaimsthatClementisdeathisthesecondsuicidebyanLGBTQstudentsince
MarchandthatfourofthelastsevensuicidesatRutgerswererelatedtosexual
ity.4What,then,ismeantherebyrelatedtosexuality?IampromptedbyAmit
Raisreformulationofsexualityasecologiesofsensationasaffectinsteadof
identitythattranscendsthedesignationsofstraightandgayandcanfurther
helpdisaggregatethesebinarypositionsfromtheirracializedhistories.5
MissingfromthedebateaboutClementissuicideisadiscussionabout
theproclivitiesofyoungpeopletoseethechoiceofInternetsurveillanceasa
mandatoryregulatorypartnotonlyoftheirsubjectformationsbutoftheirbodily

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habitsandaffectivetendencies.Fortheseyouth,socalledcyberstalkingisan
integralpartofwhatitmeanstobecomeaneoliberal(sexual)subject.Thinkofthe
ubiquityofsexting,applicationslikeGrinder,Manhunt,DIYporn,andcellphone
masscirculationofimagestechnologiesthatcreatesimultaneoussensationsof
exposure(thewholeworldiswatching)andalienation(nooneunderstands).These
cyborgianpracticesconstitutenewrelationsbetweenpublicandprivatethatwe
haveyettoreallyacknowledge,muchlesscomprehend.Invasionofprivacy
remainsunchartedterritoryforjurisprudenceinrelationtotheInternet.Butmore
significantly,toreiterateRai,theuseofthesetechnologiesimpelsnewaffective
tendenciesofbodies,newformsofattention,distraction,practice,andrepetition.
Thepresumeddifferencesbetweengayandstraightcouldbethoughtmore
generouslythroughthequotidianandbanalactivitiesofsexualselfelaboration
throughInternettechnologiesemergenthabituations,corporealcomportment,
andanarrayofdiverseswitchpointsofbodilycapacity.
Ifsignificationandrepresentation(whatthingsmean)arenolongerthe
onlyprimaryrealmofthepolitical,thenbodilyprocesses(howthingsfeel)must
beirreduciblycentraltoanynotionofthepolitical.Clementisparticipationinthe
testimonialspacesofthechatroomtodetailhisroommatesinvasionofhispri
vacyandClementisuseofFacebookfortheexplanatorysuicidenotereflect
preciselythesharedcontinuitieswithhisperpetratorsthroughecologiesofsensa
tion.Accusationsofhomophobia,gaybullying,andevencyberbullyingfail
todojusticetothecomplexuptakeofdigitaltechnologiesinthisstory.
Theapparentlysuddenspateofqueersuicidesisalsoobviouslyatodds
withtheclaimsofpurportedprogressbythegayandlesbianrightsmovement.
AsnotedbyTaviaNyongo,DanSavagessanctimoniousstatementitgetsbetter
isamandatetofoldoneselfintourban,neoliberalgayenclaves:acalltoupward
mobilitythatdiscordantlyechoesthenowdiscreditedpullyourselfupbythe
bootstrapsimmigrantmotto.6(ThesymbolismofClementistransitfromcentral
NewJerseytotheGeorgeWashingtonBridgethatconnectsnorthernNewJersey
toupperManhattanispainfullyapparent.)Partoftheoutragegeneratedbythese
deathsisbasedpreciselyinabeliefthatthingsareindeedsupposedtobebetter,
especiallyforaparticularclassofwhitegaymen.AsIargueinmyopedinthe
Guardian,thisamountstoareinstatementofwhiteracialprivilegethatwaslost
withbeinggay.7Savagehasalsomastered,ifwefollowSarahLochlainJainon
thepoliticsofsympathy,thetechniqueofconvertingClementisinjuryintocul
turalcapital,notonlythroughaffectationsofblame,guilt,andsufferingbutalso
throughthoseoftriumph,transgression,andsuccess.8
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AffectivePolitics:StatesofCapacityandDebility
Thesubjectofredressandgrievancethusfunctionshereasarecapacitationofa
debilitatedbody.Tomakemysecondandrelatedpoint,then,Iwanttoshiftthe
registersofthisconversationaboutqueersuicidefrompathologizationversus
normativizationofsexualidentitytoquestionsofbodilycapacity,debility,disabil
ity,precarity,andpopulations.Thisisnottodismissthesequeersuicidesbutto
askwhatkindsofslowdeathshavebeenongoingthatasuicidemightrepresent
anescapefrom.Itisalsotoslowtheactofsuicidedowntoofferaconcomi
tantyetdifferenttemporalityofrelatingtolivinganddying.Berlantmovesusaway
fromtraumaorcatastrophe,proposingthatslowdeathoccupiesthetemporalities
oftheendemic(756).Slowdeathoccursnotwithinthetimescaleofthesuicideor
theepidemicbutwithinazoneoftemporality...ofongoingness,gettingby,and
livingon,wherethestructuralinequalitiesaredispersed,thepacingoftheirexpe
rienceintermittent,ofteninphenomenanotpronetocapturebyaconsciousness
organizedbyarchivesofmemorableimpact(759).Inthisnonlineartemporality,
foritstartsandstops,redoublesandleapsahead,Berlantisnotdefiningagroup
ofindividualsmerelyafflictedwiththesameailment,[rather]slowdeathdescribes
populationsmarkedoutforwearingout(76061n20).Thatis,slowdeathisnot
aboutanorientationtowardthedeathdrive,norisitmorbidrather,itisaboutthe
maintenanceofliving,theordinaryworkoflivingon(761).
Inthecontextofslowdeath,Iponderthreethings.First,whatdoesitmean
toproclaimitgetsbetter,oryougetstronger?Second,whyissuicideconsti
tutedastheultimatelossoflife?Third,howcanweconnectthesesuicidestothe
theorizationofdebilityandcapacity?DavidMitchellsmovinginvocationofdis
abilitynotasexception,butthebasisuponwhichadecentandjustsocialorder
isfounded,hingesonasocietythatacknowledges,accepts,andevenanticipates
disability.9Thisanticipatorydisabilityisthedominanttemporalframeofboth
disabilityrightsactivism(youareablebodiedonlyuntilyouaredisabled)aswell
asdisabilitystudies.AsthequeerdisabilitytheoristRobertMcRuerwrites,Its
clearthatwearehauntedbythedisabilitytocome.10Disabilityispositedas
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themostcommonidentitycategorybecausewewillallbelongtoitsomeday,as
McRuerscommentimplies.Yet,asDavidMitchellandSharonSnyderargue,dis
abilityisreifiedasthetruesiteofinsufficiency.11ButBerlantsformulationof
slowdeathimpliesthatwemightnot(only)behauntedbythedisabilitytocome
butalsodisavowthedebilityalreadyhere.
Berlantarguesthathealthitselfcanthenbeseenasasideeffectofsuc
cessfulnormativity(765).Therefore,tohonorthecomplexityofthesesuicides,

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theymustbeplacedwithinthebroadercontextofneoliberaldemandsforbodily
capacityaswellastheprofitabilityofdebility,bothfunctioningascentralroutes
throughwhichfinancecapitalseekstosustainitself.Inmycurrentbookproject,
AffectivePolitics:StatesofCapacityandDebility,Iexaminetheseheightened
demandsforbodilycapacityandexceptionalizeddebility.Capacityanddebility
areseemingoppositesgeneratedbyincreasinglydemandingneoliberalformula
tionsofhealth,agency,andchoicewhatIcallaliberaleugenicsoflifestyle
programmingthatproduce,alongwithbiotechnologiesandbioinformatics,
populationaggregates.Thosefoldedintolifeareseenasmorecapaciousoron
thesideofcapacity,whilethosetargetedforprematureorslowdeatharefigured
asdebility.Suchananalysisreposesthequestions:whichbodiesaremadeto
payforprogress?Whichdebilitatedbodiescanbereinvigoratedforneoliberal
ism,andwhichcannot?Inthisregard,Savagesprojectrefiguresqueers,along
withotherbodiesheretoforeconstruedasexcessive/erroneous,asbeingonthe
sideofcapacity,ensuringthatqueernessoperatesasamachineofregenerative
productivity.Eventhoughpoststructuralistqueertheorycriticallydeploysregis
tersofnegativity(andincreasinglynegativeaffect)inreadingpracticesprimarily
deconstructiveintheirorientation,suchafigurationofqueertheoryhasemerged
fromahomeostaticframework:queertheoryisalreadyalsoamachineofcapacity
inandafterthecyberneticturn.Bioinformaticsframesinwhichbodiesfigure
notasidentitiesorsubjectsbutasdataentailthatthereisnosuchthingasnon
productiveexcessbutonlyemergentformsofnewinformation.12Thisrevaluingof
excess/debilityispotentbecause,simplyput,debilityslowdeathisprofitable
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forcapitalism.Inneoliberal,biomedical,andbiotechnologicalterms,thebodyis
alwaysdebilitatedinrelationtoitseverexpandingpotentiality.
WhatIamproposing,then,isalsoaninterventionintothebinariedpro
ductionofdisabledversusnondisabledbodiesthatdrivesbothdisabilitystudies
anddisabilityrightsactivism.Evenasthedemandsofableismweighheavyand
havebeenchallengedbydisabilityscholarsandactivists,attachmentstothedif
ferenceofdisabledbodiesmayreifyanexceptionalismthatonlycertainprivileged
disabledbodiescanoccupy.Whilethedisabilityrightsmovementlargelyunder
standsdisabilityasaformofnonnormativitythatdeservestobedepathologized,
disabilityjusticeactivistsseektomovebeyondaccessissuesforegroundedbythe
AmericanswithDisabilitiesActaswellasglobalhumanrightsframesthatstan
dardizedefinitionsofdisabilityandthetermsoftheirlegalredressacrossnational
locations.Theyinsteadavowthatinworkingpoorandworkingclasscommunities
ofcolor,disabilitiesanddebilitiesareactuallythenorm.Thusapoliticalagenda
thatdisavowspathologyislessrelevantthanacritiqueofthereembeddedforms

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ofliberaleugenicspropagatedbywhattheycallthemedicalindustrialcomplex
anditsattendantformsofadministrativesurveillance.Suchworksuggeststhat
anincreasinglydemandingableism(andIwouldadd,anincreasinglydemand
ingdisableismnormativeformsofdisabilityasexceptionalism)isproducing
nonnormativitynotonlythroughthesexualandracialpathologizationofcertain
unproductivebodiesbutmoreexpansivelythroughtheabilityorinabilityofall
bodiestoregisterthroughaffectivecapacity.
Whatdisabilityjusticeactivistsimplyisthatslowdeathisconstitutive
todebility,anddisabilitymustberethoughtintermsofprecariouspopulations.
Thedistinctionsofnormativeandnonnormative,disabledandnondis
ableddonotholdupaseasily.Insteadtherearevariegatedaggregatesofcapacity
anddebility.Ifdebilityisunderstoodbydisabilityjusticeactiviststobeendemic
todisenfranchisedcommunities,itisdoublysobecausetheformsoffinancial
izationthataccompanyneoliberaleconomicsandtheprivatizationofservices
alsoproducedebtasdebility.Thisrelationshipbetweendebtanddebilitycan
bedescribedasakindoffinancialexpropriation:theprofitmadebyfinancial
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institutionsoutofthepersonalincomeofworkersisaformoffinancialexpropria
tion,seenasadditionalprofitgeneratedintherealmofcirculation.13Giventhe
relationshipofbankruptcytomedicalcareexpensesintheUnitedStates,debt
becomesanotherregistertomeasurethecapacityforrecovery,notonlyphysical
butalsofinancial.Debilityisprofitabletocapitalism,butsoisthedemandto
recoverfromorovercomeit.

FromEpistemologicalCorrectivetoOntologicalIrreducibility
Iamproposing,then,amethodologythatinhabitstheintersectionsofdisability
studies,theaffectiveturn,andtheoriesofposthumanismallfieldsofinquiry
thatputduressontheprivilegingof(ablebodied)subjectformationasaprimary
siteofbodilyinterpellation.Theaffectiveturn,asIinterpretit,signalsintellec
tualcontestationoversitesofstruggle,whosetargetsarenowthefollowing:social
constructionism(reinvigoratedinterrogationofbiologicalmatterthatchallenges
bothbiologicaldeterminismandalsoperformativity),epistemology(ontologyand
ontogenesis),psychoanalysis(traumarethoughtastheintensificationofthebodys
relationtoitself),humanism(thecapacitiesofnonhumananimalsaswellasinor
ganicmatter,matters),andagency(thecentralityofcognitionandperceptionas
challengedbytheoriesofsensation).Themodulationandsurveillanceofaffect
operatesasaformofsocialitythatregulatesgoodandbadsubjects,possibleand
impossiblebodilycapacities.Hereaffectentailsnotonlyadissolutionofthesub

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jectbut,moresignificantly,adissolutionofthestablecontoursoftheorganicbody,
asforcesofenergyaretransmitted,shared,circulated.Thebody,asBrianMas
sumiargues,passesfromonestateofcapacitationtoadiminishedoraugmented
stateofcapacitation,alwaysboundupinthelivedpastofthebodybutalwaysin
passagetoachangedfuture.14
Thisunderstandingofcapacityanddebilityentailstheorizingnotonly
specificdisciplinarysitesbutalsobroadertechniquesofsocialcontrol,mark
ingashiftintermsfromregulatingnormativity(theinternalizationofself/other
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subjectformation)towhatMichelFoucaultcallsregularizingbodiesorwhathas
beendesignatedtheageofbiologicalcontrol.15Intheoscillationbetweendis
ciplinarysocietiesandcontrolsocieties,followingFoucaultssecurityregimes
andGillesDeleuzescontrolsociety,thetensionshavebeenmappedoutthusly:
asashiftfromnormal/abnormaltovariegation,modulation,andtweakingfrom
discretesitesofpunishment(theprison,thementalhospital,theschool)topre
emptiveregimesofsecuritizationfrominclusion/exclusiontothequestionofdif
ferentialinclusionfromself/other,subject/objectconstructiontomicrostatesof
subindividualdifferentiationfromdifferencebetweentodifferencewithinfrom
thepolicingofprofiletopatrollingofaffectfromwilltocapacityfromagencyto
affectfromsubjecttobody.16Andfinally,andIbelievemostimportantly,thereis
ashiftunderway,fromAlthusserianinterpellationtoanarrayofdiverseswitch
pointsoftheactivationofthebody.
Whatdoesitmeantorethinkdisabilityintermsofcontrolsocieties?
Theparticularbinarycategorizationofdis/abledsubjectivityisonethathas
manyparallelstootherkindsofbinarycategorizationspropagatedinfact,
demandedbyneoliberalconstructionsoffailedandcapacitatedbodies.There
forewecannotseethisbinaryproductionasspecificonlytothedistinctionof
disabledversusnondisabledsubjectsallbodiesarebeingevaluatedinrelation
totheirsuccessorfailureintermsofhealth,wealth,progressiveproductivity,
upwardmobility,enhancedcapacity.Andthereisnosuchthingasanadequately
abledbodyanymore.However,itispreciselybecausetherearegradationsof
capacityanddebilityincontrolsocietiesratherthantheself/otherproductionof
being/notbeingthatthedistinctionbetweendisabledandnondisabledbecomes
fuzzier.
Asanexample,NikolasRosemaintainsthatdepressionwillbecomethe
numberonedisabilityintheUnitedStatesandtheU.K.withinthenexttenyears.
Thisexpansionofdepressedpeopleswillnotoccursimplythroughawidespread
increaseofdepressionbutthroughthegradationofpopulations.Inotherwords,it
willoccurnotthroughthehailingandinterpellationofdepressedsubjectsanda

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distinctionbetweenwhoisdepressedandwhoisnotbutthroughtheevaluation
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andaccommodationofdegrees:towhatdegreeisonedepressed?17Oneisalready
instructedbytelevisionadvertisementsforpsychotropicdrugssuchasAbilify,
claimingthattwooutofthreepeopleonantidepressantsstillhavesymptoms
andofferingatopoffmedicationtoaddtoadailymedregime.Throughthisform
ofmedicaladministration,bodiesare(1)drawnintoamodulationofsubindividual
capacities(thiswouldbethediverseswitchpoints)(2)surveillednotonidentity
positionsalonebutthroughaffectivetendencies,informationalbodyasdata,
andstatisticalprobabilitiesthroughpopulations,risk,andprognosis(3)fur
therstratifiedacrossregistersofthemedicalindustrialcomplex:medicaldebt,
healthinsurance,statebenefits,amongotherfeedbackloopsintotheprofitability
ofdebility.
Howthedisaggregationofdepressedsubjectsintovariousstates,inten
sities,andtendencieswillchangethedimensionalityofdisabilityremainsan
openprospect,butattheveryleastitforcesrecognitionoftheinsufficiencyof
disabilityasacategory.Thedisabilityatstakeisanaffectivetendencyofsorts
aswellasamentalstate,andassuchchallengesthebasisonwhichdisability
rightsframeshaveroutedtheirrepresentational(visibility)politics.Afieldthat
hasbeendominatedbythevisibilityofphysicaldisabilitiesisacknowledgingthe
scopeandrangeofcognitiveandmentaldisabilities.Thisrecognition,inturn,
haschallengedthestatusofrational,agential,survivororientedpoliticsbasedon
theprivilegingofthelinguisticcapacitytomakerightsclaims.Why?Becausethe
inabilitytocommunicatefunctionsasthesingledeterminantofmentalorcogni
tiveimpairment(therebyregulatingthehuman/animaldistinction),thusdestabi
lizingthecentralityofthehumancapacityforthoughtandcognition.
Inanefforttoopenupcapacityasasourceofgenerativeaffectivepolitics
ratherthanonlyaclosurearoundneoliberaldemands,IbrieflyreturntoGayatri
SpivaksCantheSubalternSpeak?,perhapsunfashionablyso.18Inthecontext
ofdisabilitystudies,thisquestionbecomesnotonlyamandateforepistemological
correctivesbutaqueryaboutontologicalandbodilycapacity,asgrantingvoice
tothesubalterncomesintotensionwiththeneed,inthecaseofthehuman/ani
maldistinction,todestabilizetheprivilegingofcommunication/representation/
languagealtogether.Theabilitytounderstandlanguageisalsowherehuman/
nonhumananimaldistinctions,aswellashuman/technologydistinctions,have
longbeendrawn,andheredisabilitystudies,posthumanism,andanimalstud
iesmayperhapsarticulateacommoninterestinanonanthropomorphic,interspe
ciesvisionofaffectivepolitics.Posthumanismquestionstheboundariesbetween
humanandnonhuman,matteranddiscourse,technologyandbody,andinterro

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gatesthepracticesthroughwhichtheseboundariesareconstituted,stabilized,
anddestabilized.(Theburgeoningfieldofanimalstudiesisthusalsoapartof
theendeavortosituatehumancapacitieswithinarangeofcapacitiesofspecies
asopposedtoreifyingtheirsingularity.)If,accordingtoposthumanistthinkers
suchasManualDeLandaandKarenBarad,languagehasbeengrantedtoomuch
power,anonanthropomorphicconceptionofthehumanisnecessarytoresituate
languageasoneofmanycapturesoftheintensitiesofbodilycapacities,anevent
ofbodilyassemblagesratherthanaperformativeactofsignification.19
Ourcurrentpoliticsarecontinuallyreproducingtheexceptionalism
ofhumanbodiesandtheaggrievedagentialsubject,politicstypicallyenacted
throughwoundedattachments.20WithoutminimizingthetragedyofClementis
andotherrecentdeaths,dialogueaboutecologiesofsensationandslowdeath
mightopenusuptoarangeofconnections.Forinstance,howdoqueergirlscom
mitsuicide?Whatoftheslowdeathsofteenagegirlsthroughanorexia,bulimia,
andnumeroussexualassaultstheyendureaspunishmentforthetransgressingof
properfemininityandalas,evenforconformingtoit?Whatisthepoliticaland
culturalfalloutofrecenteringthewhitegaymaleasurqueersubject?Howwould
ourpoliticallandscapetransformifitactivelydecenteredthesustainedreproduc
tionandproliferationofthegrievingsubject,openinginsteadtowardanaffective
politics,attentivetoecologiesofsensationandswitchpointsofbodilycapacities,
tohabituationsandunhabituations,totendencies,multipletemporalities,and
becomings?

Notes
ThankstoElenaGlasberg,DanaLuciano,andJordanaRosenbergforclosereadings,
andtoTaviaNyongo,EngBengLim,AshleyDawson,andRichardKimforfeedback
onanearlierversionofthisarticle,EcologiesofSex,Sensation,andSlowDeath
publishedinSocialTextonNovember27,2010.
1.LaurenBerlant,SlowDeath(Sovereignty,Obesity,LateralAgency),CriticalInquiry
33(2007):75480.Hereaftercitedinthetext.
2.SeeDavidHimmelsteinetal.,MedicalBankruptcyintheUnitedStates,2007:
ResultsofaNationalStudy,AmericanJournalofMedicine122(2009):74146.
3.JusticeNotVengeanceinClementiSuicide,QueeringtheAir,October19,2010
(URLnolongerworking).
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4.QueeringtheAir,emailmessagetoauthor,October1,2010.
5.AmitRai,UntimelyBollywood:GlobalizationandIndiasNewMediaAssemblage
(Durham,NC:DukeUniversityPress,2009).

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6.TaviaNyongo,SchoolDaze,September30,2010,bullybloggers.wordpress
.com/2010/09/30/schooldaze/.
7.IntheWakeofItGetsBetter,Guardian,November16,2010,www.guardian.co.uk/
commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/nov/16/wakeitgetsbettercampaign?showallcom
ments=true#commentfold.
8.SarahLochlannJain,Injury:ThePoliticsofProductDesignandSafetyLawinthe
UnitedStates(Princeton:PrincetonUniversityPress,2006),24.
9.DavidMitchell,KeynotePlenary(AnnualMeeting,SocietyforDisabilityStudies,
TempleUniversity,June2010).
10.RobertMcRuer,CripTheory(NewYork:NewYorkUniversityPress,2007),207.
11.DavidMitchellandSharonSnyder,CulturalLocationsofDisability(Chicago:Univer
sityofChicagoPress,2006),17.
12.See,e.g.,EugeneThacker,TheGlobalGenome(Cambridge:MITPress,2006)
KaushikSunderRajan,Biocapital:TheConstitutionofPostgenomicLife(Durham,
NC:DukeUniversityPress,2006).
13.SamAshman,EditorialIntroductiontotheSymposiumontheGlobalFinancialCri
sis,HistoricalMaterialism17(2009):107.
14.BrianMassumi,OfMicroperceptionandMicropolitics:AnInterviewwithBrian
Massumi,Inflections,no.3(2008):2.
15.MichelFoucault,SocietyMustBeDefended:LecturesattheCollgedeFrance,
197576,ed.MauroBertaniandAlessandroFontana,trans.DavidMacey(New
York:Picador,2003)andIanWilmut,KeithCampbell,andColinTudge,TheSecond
Creation:DollyandtheAgeofBiologicalControl(Cambridge,MA:HarvardUniver
sityPress,2001).
16.MichelFoucault,Security,Territory,Population:LecturesattheCollgedeFrance,
197778,ed.MichelSenellart,trans.GrahamBurchell(NewYork:Picador,2009)
GillesDeleuze,PostscriptonControlSocieties,inNegotiations(NewYork:Colum
biaUniversityPress,1997).
17.NikolasRose,BiopoliticsinanAgeofBiologicalControl(lecture,NewYorkUni
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versity,NewYork,October15,2009).
18.GayatriChakravortySpivak,CantheSubalternSpeak?,inMarxismandtheInter
pretationofCulture,ed.CaryNelsonandLarryGrossberg(Basingstoke:Macmillan
Education:1988),271313.
19.ManuelDeLanda,ANewPhilosophyofSociety:AssemblageTheoryandSocialCom
plexity(LondonandNewYork:Continuum,2006)KarenBarad,PosthumanistPer
formativity:TowardanUnderstandingofHowMatterComestoMatter,Signs:Jour
nalofWomeninCultureandSociety28(2003):80131.
20.SeeWendyBrown,WoundedAttachments,PoliticalTheory21(1993):390410.

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