"Queer Theory in Education," edited by William F. Pinar (Book Review)

"Perhaps for now it is enough to assert difference, to theorize queer curriculum and pedagogy, and to watch the horizons." So states William F. Pinar in the "Introduction" to Queer Theory in Education, an impressive collection of essays that compels the reader to read differently, to read for difference, as it theorizes queerness in/and education. These essays are remarkable for the newness they bring to the field of education. Of course, as Pinar notes, "queer theory in education is not exactly new." Many of the essays here converse with important scholarship that date back several decades, at least. However, much of the earlier queer scholarship in education focused primarily on the experiences of queers in schools and the implications of their stories for anti-homophobic education. Only recently have educational researchers turned increasingly to "queer theory" (versus stories of queers) and to the queer(ed) nature of what we do in schools as teachers, students, and researchers. In other words, only recently have educational researchers begun both to examine education of/for/about queers, and to queer the (commonsense) ways we think about education and educational research. This volume brings together many prominent scholars for the first anthology that focuses specifically on queer theory in education. Though compelling, these essays do not purport to be definitive (and close off the field); rather, they hope to be "conversational," and invite us, the readers, to explore the conceptual newness and pedagogical/political possibilities they have opened. For a complete reprint of this article contact Haworth Press by telephone (1-800-HAWORTH) or EMAIL (getinfo@haworthpressinc.com). Copies are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Center, The Haworth Press, Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580. Article copyright The Haworth Press, Inc.