Dr Silvia Posocco

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Overview
Overview
Biography
I am a social anthropologist with interdisciplinary research interests in gender and sexuality studies and violence, conflict and genocide studies. I have studied ethnographically insurgent movements in Guatemala, the archives of transnational adoption across sites and temporalities, and most recently, forensic archives, bioinformation and cultures of evidence.
Highlights
Queering Knowledge: Analytics, Devices and Investments after Marilyn Strathern is awarded the Ruth Benedict Prize 2020
Office hours
By appointment.
Qualifications
- PhD Anthropology , University of London (London School of Economics Gender Institute)
- MSc Gender Relations , London School of Economics, University of London
- BA Social Anthropology/Art-Archaeology, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Web profiles
Administrative responsibilities
- Director of Postgraduate Research
Professional activities
Co-Chair, European Network for Queer Anthropology (ENQA, part of EASA)
Co-editor, Theorizing Ethnography Book Series, Routledge Anthropology
Editorial Board Member, Feminist Anthropology
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Anthropology
Associate Editor, Quaderns de Psicologia
Advisory Board Member, Association for Research on Childhood and Families (Afin)
Advisory Board Member, Loving Attachment: Regulating Danish Love Migration (2017-2021)
Associate Fellow, Sexual Harms and Medical Encounters, SHAME
Professional memberships
American Anthropological Association (AAA)
Association of Social Anthropologists of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth (ASA)
European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA)
Latin American Studies Association (LASA)
Society for Latin American Studies (SLAS)
Guatemala Scholars Network (GSN)
ORCID
0000-0002-2075-1480 -
Research
Research
Research interests
- Social Anthropology, Social Theory and Cultural Analysis
- Transnational Gender and Sexuality Studies and Theories
- Violence, Conflict and Genocide
- Anthropology of the State and the Law
- Transnational Adoption Circuits, Documents and Archives
- Forensic Archives, Biorepositories and Bioinformation
- Relations, Subjectivities, Socialities
- Ethnography
- Petén, Guatemala; Tabasco, Quintana Roo, Mexico; London, UK.
Research overview
My background is in social anthropology and gender studies. My work to date has focused on a profoundly theoretically inflected ethnographic approach to the study of relations and relational categories through research on socially, culturally and historically situated practices.
My first research monograph on histories of violence and socialities of secrecy in Petén, northern Guatemala, was published in January 2014 by Alabama University Press. Secrecy and Insurgency: Socialities and Knowledge Practices in Guatemala deals with the experiences of guerrilla combatants of the Fuerzas Armadas Rebeldes (Rebel Armed Forces) in the aftermath of the Peace Accords signed in December 1996 by the Guatemalan government and guerrilla insurgents. The book focuses on 'secrecy' as both sociality and knowledge practice, and demonstrates the relevance of thinking 'gender' in the coalescence of novel objects of analysis in a broad field of contemporary theory.
I am committed to long-term, albeit intermittent, ethnographic research in Guatemala. I am currently writing a new research monograph, Traces, Remnants, Genocide, on transnational adoption circuits and the traces and remnants of violence, conflict and genocide in the country and the diaspora.
With Adi Kuntsman (MMU) and Jin Haritaworn (Toronto), I co-edited the volume Queer Necropolitics. With Suhraiya Jivraj (Kent) and Sandeep Bakshi (Paris - Diderot), I coordinate the AHRC-funded Decolonizing Sexualities Research Network. We co-edited the volume, Decolonizing Sexualities: Transnational Perspectives, Critical Interventions and our new special issue on Decolonial Trajectories was recently published. We coordinate a blog and will soon be celebrating the first 10 years of DSN with a global virtual event. The volume Queering Knowledge: Analytics, Devices and Investments After Marilyn Strathern - a collection of essays co-edited with Paul Boyce (Sussex) and EJ Gonzalez-Polledo (Goldsmiths) - was published in 2020. With Cecilia McCallum (Federal University of Bahia), Martin Fotta (Institute of Ethnology, Czech Technical University, Prague) and a terrific group of authors, I have been working on The Cambridge Handbook for the Anthropology of Gender and Sexuality. This 26-strong volume of original essays for Cambridge University Press will appear in print in 2021.
With Dr EJ Gonzalez-Polledo, I have been studying transformations in the field of forensic science in England and Wales. We are currently writing about forensic archives, bioinformation and cultures of evidence in a new edited volume, Bioinformation Worlds and Futures (Routledge) and other journal publications will be out in 2021.
Research Centres and Institutes
- Steering Committee Member, Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS)
- Member, Centre for Research on Race and Law
- Steering Group until 2000, Birkbeck Institute for Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Member, Centre for Medical Humanities
Research projects
Person, Substance Bodily Capacity: Transnational Adoption and Surrogacy in Times of Violence and Crisis
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Supervision and teaching
Supervision and teaching
Supervision
I welcome enquires from perspective students who are interested in pursuing research in my areas of research expertise.
Former and current PhD projects include:
Dr Lorena Fuentes, (Re)Reading the Boundaries and Bodies of Femicide in (Post)War Guatemala, supervised with Dr Jasmine Gideon, see Dr Fuentes' article in Antipode
Dr Erol Saglam, Memory, Identity and Subjectivity in the Case of Romeika-speaking Communities in Trabzon, Turkey, co-supervised with Professor Stephen Frosh, see Dr Saglam's article in Anthropology Today
Dr Matthew Martinez, Reading Resilience, Exploring Non-normative Modes of Writing and Being, co-supervised with Professor Elizabeth Hoult
Lemonia Gianniri, Psychoanalysis, Families and Desires in the Greek Homosexual, Transgender and Feminist Press and Archives, co-supervised with Dr Gail Lewis, UBEL DTP
Adeline Moussion, The Social Uses of Trauma in Feminist Organisations and Rape Victims in France, co-supervised with Professor Joanna Bourke, SHAME Research Project
Hatty Nestor, Accounting for the Body and the Feminist Archive of Ana Mendieta, co-supervised with Professor Stephen Frosh and Dr Jodie Kim, CHASE DTP
Eoin Fullam, The Social Life of Chatbots, co-supervised with Professor Stephen Frosh, UBEL DTP
Nadine Chambers, Black and Indigenous Geographies: Archives and Accountability in the Shadow of Canadian Settler Colonialism, co-supervised with Dr Sarah Keenan, see Nadine Chambers' recently published article
Richeárd McDonald, Gay Masculinities, Sexual Risk and Chemsex, Principal Supervisor, with Dr Annette van der Zaag Second Supervisor
Teaching
Teaching modules
- Theories and Sites of the Psychosocial (PSSL040S7)
- PhD Psychosocial Research Seminar (SSPA034Z8)
- Power (SSPA073S4)
- Bodies (SSPA101S5)
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Publications
Publications
Article
- Jivraj, S. and Bakshi, S. and Posocco, Silvia (2020) Decolonial trajectories: praxes and challenges. Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies 22 (4), pp. 451 -463. ISSN 1369-801X.
- Chivalan Carrillo, M. and Posocco, Silvia (2020) Against extraction in Guatemala: multispecies strategies in vampiric times. Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies 22 (4), pp. 514-532. ISSN 1369-801X.
- Posocco, Silvia (2019) (Re)Generar: Adoção transnacional e gestação por substituição em tempos de violência e crise. Lugar Comum (56), pp. 30-38. ISSN 1415-8604.
- Boyce, P. and Engebretsen, E.L. and Gonzalez-Polledo, E.J. and Posocco, Silvia (2018) A commitment to difference: an interview with Esther Newton. Sexualities 21 (5-6), pp. 951-969. ISSN 1363-4607.
- Posocco, Silvia (2017) Life, death, ethnography: epistemologies and methods of the quasi-event. Qualitative Research Journal 17 (3), pp. 177-187. ISSN 1443-9883.
- Boyce, P. and Engebretsen, E.L. and Posocco, Silvia (2017) Introduction: Anthropology’s Queer sensibilities. Sexualities 21 (5-6), pp. 843-852. ISSN 1363-4607.
- Montenegro, M. and Pujol, J. and Posocco, Silvia (2017) Bordering, exclusions and necropolitics. Qualitative Research Journal 17 (3), pp. 142-154. ISSN 1443-9883.
- Fotta, M. and Posocco, Silvia and Smith, F.D. (2016) Violence and affective states in contemporary Latin America. Journal of Latin American Cultural Studies 25 (2), pp. 167-177. ISSN 1356-9325.
- Posocco, Silvia (2015) Substance, sign, and trace: performative analogies and technologies of enfleshment in the transnational adoption archives in Guatemala. Social & Cultural Geography 16 (5), pp. 567-584. ISSN 1464-9365.
- Posocco, Silvia (2014) Expedientes: notas sobre la documentación, el Estado y la ley en los expedientes de adopción transnacional en Guatemala. Afin Grupo de Investigación Newsletter 58, ISSN 2013-2956.
- Haritaworn, J. and Kuntsman, A. and Posocco, Silvia (2013) Murderous inclusions. International Feminist Journal of Politics 15 (4), pp. 445-452. ISSN 1461-6742.
- Haritaworn, J. and Kuntsman, A. and Posocco, Silvia and Povinelli, E. (2013) Obligation, social projects and queer politics: Elizabeth Povinelli in conversation with Jin Haritaworn, Adi Kuntsman and Silvia Posocco. International Feminist Journal of Politics 15 (3), pp. 454-464. ISSN 1461-6742.
- Posocco, Silvia (2011) Expedientes: fissured legality and affective states in the transnational adoption archives in Guatemala. Law, Culture and the Humanities 7 (3), pp. 434-456. ISSN 1743-8721.
- Posocco, Silvia (2011) Ethnography and incommensurability in the aftermath of insurgency. Cultural Dynamics 23 (1), pp. 57-71. ISSN 0921-3740.
- Perrons, D. and Posocco, Silvia (2009) Globalising failures. Geoforum 40 (2), pp. 131-135. ISSN 0016-7185.
- Posocco, Silvia (2008) The Empire of Love: review of Elizabeth Povinelli. Darkmatter: In The Ruins of Immperial Culture (3), ISSN 2041-3254.
- Posocco, Silvia (2008) Zoning: environmental cosmopolitics in and around the Maya biosphere reserve, Petén, Guatemala. Nature and Culture 3 (2), pp. 206-224. ISSN 1558-6073.
Book
- Boyce, P. and Gonzalez-Polledo, E.J. and Posocco, Silvia, eds. (2019) Queering knowledge: analytics, devices and investments after Marilyn Strathern. Theorizing Ethnography. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781138230989. (In Press)
- Bakshi, S. and Jivraj, S. and Posocco, Silvia, eds. (2016) Decolonizing sexualities: transnational perspectives, critical interventions. Oxford, UK: Counterpress. ISBN 9781910761021.
- Haritaworn, J. and Kuntsman, A. and Posocco, Silvia, eds. (2014) Queer necropolitics. Social Justice. Oxford, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9780415644761.
- Posocco, Silvia (2014) Secrecy and insurgency: socialities and knowledge practices in Guatemala. Tuscaloosa, U.S.: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 9780817313593.
Book Review
Book Section
- Boyce, P. and Gonzalez-Polledo, E.J. and Posocco, Silvia (2019) Queering knowledge: an introduction. In: Boyce, P. and Gonzalez-Polledo, E.J. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Queering Knowledge: Analytics, Devices and Investments After Marilyn Strathern. Theorizing Ethnography: Concept, Context, Critique. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781138230989.
- Franklin, S. and Boyce, P. and Gonzalez-Polledo, E.J. and Posocco, Silvia (2019) Conceptuality in relation: Sarah Franklin in conversation with Silvia Posocco, Paul Boyce, and EJ Gonzalez-Polledo. In: Boyce, P. and Gonzalez-Polledo, E.J. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Queering Knowledge: Analytics, Devices and Investments After Marilyn Strathern. Theorizing Ethnography: Concept, Context, Critique. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781138230989.
- Posocco, Silvia (2019) Postplurality: An Ethnographic Tableau. In: Boyce, P. and Gonzalez-Polledo, E.J. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Queering Knowledge: Analytics, Devices and Investments after Marilyn Strathern. Theorizing Ethnography. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9781138230989.
- Bakshi, S. and Jivraj, S. and Posocco, Silvia (2016) (Decolonizing) the ear of the other: subjectivity, ethics and politics in question. In: Bakshi, S. and Jivraj, S. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Decolonizing Sexualities: Transnational Perspectives, Critical Interventions. Oxford, UK: Counterpress.
- Bakshi, S. and Jivraj, S. and Posocco, Silvia (2016) Introduction - decolonizing sexualities: transnational perspectives, critical interventions. In: Bakshi, S. and Jivraj, S. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Decolonizing Sexualities: Transnational Perspectives, Critical Interventions. Oxford, UK: Counterpress.
- Posocco, Silvia (2016) (Decolonizing) The ear of the other: subjectivity, ethics and politics in question. In: Bakshi, S. and Jivraj, S. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Decolonizing Sexualities: Transnational Perspectives, Critical Interventions. Oxford, UK: Counterpress. pp. 249-263. ISBN 9781910761021.
- Haritaworn, J. and Kuntsman, A. and Posocco, Silvia (2014) Introduction: queer necropolitics. In: Haritaworn, J. and Kuntsman, A. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Queer Necropolitics. Social Justice. Oxford, UK: Routledge. pp. 1-28. ISBN 9780415644761.
- Posocco, Silvia (2014) On the queer necropolitics of transnational adoption in Guatemala. In: Haritaworn, J. and Kuntsman, A. and Posocco, Silvia (eds.) Queer Necropolitics. Social Justice. Oxford, UK: Routledge. pp. 72-90. ISBN 9780415644761.
- Posocco, Silvia (2012) Gender identity. In: Evans, M. and Williams, C. (eds.) Gender: The Key Concepts. Routledge Key Guides. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9780415669610.
- Palacios, Margarita and Posocco, Silvia (2011) War and the politics of sexual violence. In: Seidman, S. and Fischer, N. and Meeks, C. (eds.) Introducing the New Sexuality Studies, 2nd Edition. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. ISBN 9780415781251.
- Posocco, Silvia (2010) Female masculinity. In: Ritzer, G. and Ryan, M. (eds.) Concise Encyclopedia of Sociology. Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9781405185329.
- Posocco, Silvia (2006) Female masculinity. In: Ritzer, G. (ed.) The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology. Oxford, UK: Blackwell. pp. 1657-1658. ISBN 9781405124331.
- Posocco, Silvia (2004) Butch. In: Eadie, J. (ed.) Sexuality: The Essential Glossary. Essential Glossary Series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 22-24. ISBN 9780340806753.
- Posocco, Silvia (2004) "Butch", "Stone Butch", Butch/Femme", "Female Masculinity", "Passing", "Packing". In: Eadie, J. (ed.) Sexuality: The Essential Glossary. London, UK: Edward Arnold. ISBN 9780340806753.
- Posocco, Silvia (2004) Butch/femme. In: Eadie, J. (ed.) Sexuality: The Essential Glossary. Essential Glossary Series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 149-149. ISBN 9780340806753.
- Posocco, Silvia (2004) Female masculinity. In: Eadie, J. (ed.) Sexuality: The Essential Glossary. Essential Glossary Series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 152-153. ISBN 9780340806753.
- Posocco, Silvia (2004) Packing. In: Eadie, J. (ed.) Sexuality: The Essential Glossary. Essential Glossary Series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9780340806753.
- Posocco, Silvia (2004) Passing. In: Eadie, J. (ed.) Sexuality: The Essential Glossary. Essential Glossary Series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9780340806753.
- Posocco, Silvia (2004) Stone butch. In: Eadie, J. (ed.) Sexuality: The Essential Glossary. Essential Glossary Series. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 67-68. ISBN 9780340806753.
Monograph
- Posocco, Silvia (2008) Globalization, governmentality and failure through the prism of Petén, Guatemala. London, UK: London School of Economics.