Revisiting Nostalgia: Can Queer and Feminist Studies Afford to be Nostalgic?

SOLANA, MARIELA

Ouro Preto

Conferencia; Segunda Conferencia de International Network for Theory of History: ?The Practical Past: on the advantages and disadvantages of history for life?; 2016

International Network for Theory of History

This paper reflects on a long-term interest of philosophy of history: the relationship between emotions and history. What role do affects play in the process of representing and remembering the past? Are emotions epistemological obstacles for understanding history or can they actually improve our historical knowledge? Should history be rationally understood or emotionally felt?2 Is there a contradiction between these two methods? In particular, I would like to examine one emotion that has proven to be difficult to reclaim both for history and politics: nostalgia. My main goal in this paper is to explore whether nostalgia could be considered a useful tool for rethinking and rewriting history and, more specifically, whether it can be deployed for the political agendas of feminism and queer theory. Can women and LGBTIQ communities afford to be nostalgic, considering that they tend to work towards a better future instead of lingering on the past? Are feminist and queer studies compatible with nostalgia, considering that their past is filled with pain, horrors and injustice?