Identity And Sexual Orientation in Contemporary Philosophy: Existentialism, Marxism and Poststructuralism

Abstract Book of the 5th International Conference on LGBT studies

Year: 2026

[PDF]

Identity And Sexual Orientation in Contemporary Philosophy: Existentialism, Marxism and Poststructuralism

Ellie Fabbri

ABSTRACT:

The article compares some of the most important texts in contemporary philosophy. Butler’s reflections on language, when applied to other female authors of the twentieth century, enable a reinterpretation of their works within the framework of deconstructionism, of which the American author is one of the leading exponents. The roots of Butler’s approach, however, extend back to the writings of an Oxford analytical philosopher: John Austin. Thus, the article also aims to trace the connections between the work of the British philosopher, famous for his performative theory of language, and the philosopher from the University of Berkeley.
The work of the French philosopher Michel Foucault on the memoirs of Herculine Barbin provides an interesting analytical tool regarding the concept of gender, which is central to Butler’s own work. Foucault also proposes an original view of power, attributing to it an original productive capacity. His position is completely opposed to that of Mario Mieli, who instead sees power as primarily repressive. The comparison between these two interpretations is another aspect explored in depth by the article. The theory of repressive power recalls the Freudo-Marxist philosophical current, while the theory of repressive power is connected to the current of French poststructuralism. The two currents and their respective authors are the framework within which the concepts in question are discussed and compared.

Keywords: Choice; Language; Performative; Gender; Power