The Politics and Poetics of Camp

"The Politics and Poetics of Camp" is a radical reappraisal of the meaning and discourse of camp. The contributors look at both the meaning and the uses of camp performance, and ask: is camp a style, or a witty but nonetheless powerful cultural critique? These essays investigate camp from its early formations in the 17th and 18th century to its present manifestations in queer theatre and literature. They also take a look at the complex relationship between queer discourse and decidedly un-queer pop culture appropriations on film and on the stage. "The Politics and Poetics of Camp" is a collection of essays by leading critics working in queer theory, from a number of disciplinary perspectives.