Judith Butler: Performativity - Critical Legal Thinking

Performatives are utterances that engender formative force per the utterance (formative + per (utterance) = performative). Performatives are, ... JudithButler:PerformativitybyStephenYoung|14Nov2016 KEYCONCEPT Butler’snotionof‘performativity’ismostfamouslyassociatedwithherviewsongenderandisimportantforcriticallegalthinkersbecauseperformativityisdeeplyentangledwithpoliticsandlegality.Herfocusonperformancehasbeenwidelyinfluentialbecauseperformanceandperformativityenablediscussantstomovebeyondanalysesoflegaldefinitionorstatustoconsiderthepoliticalandsocialdiscursiveforcesthatconstructandnormalizelegalorpoliticalpractice.ForButler,performativityisnotsolelyanextensionofdiscoursetheoryasherlaterworkssuggestbodies“speak”withoutnecessarilyuttering.Thisbriefreviewwillprovideanabbreviatedhistoryontheconceptualgenesisoftheterm“performativity,”howButler(re)definesandemploysit,andfinallyhowButler’saccountmaybeusefulforcriticallegalthinking. JohnAustinwasan“ordinarylanguage”philosopherwhoiscreditedwithinitiatingthestudyintoperformatives.Ordinarylanguagephilosopherstendtocollapsetheuse/meaningdistinctionandreplaceitwiththenotionthatthemeaningofawordisitsuse.1StanelyCavell,TheClaimofReason206-7(1972).Austinanalyzedperformativeutterancesinthreeparts:locution,illocutionandperlocution.2J.L.Austin,HowtoDoThingswithWords1-11(1962).Hisproject,somewhatsimilartolateWittgenstein’s,theorizedhowspeech-actsdoormeanthingsinwaysotherthangeneratingtrueandfalsesentences.Althougheachsentencemaybesaidtobetrueorfalse,sentencesdomorethanprovidetrueorfalsepicturesoftheworld.ForAustina‘performativeutterance’wasaspeechactthatcreateseventsorrelationsintheworld.Anexampleiswhenabride/groomandgroom/bridesay“Ido”atawedding,theymaythenactuallybecomemarried.Everyutteranceisalocution,thenoiseofanutterancewhen“sayingsomething.”3JacquesDerrida,SignatureEventContest,inLimitedInc.3-12(1988).Theillocutionistheeffectintendedinsayingsomething(thelocutiondeterminedbysocialconventionsinparticularsituations,i.e.marriage),whileperlocutionistheeffect(uponlistenersandinsociety)bysayingsomething.4Austin,supraat122-131. WithoutgoingintotoomuchnuanceddetailsofAustin’stheory,oneshouldattendtothedistinctionbetweenperformanceandperformative.Allutterancesareperformed,butnotallutterancesareperformatives.Whenanutterancemeetsthesocialconventionsitishasfelicitousuptakemakingitintoaperformativethattransforms.Thebride(s)/groom(s)mustfitintosociallyconstructedroles,i.e.“bride(s)/groom(s)”,thatallowthemtosay“Ido”forthoseutterancetoenact“marriage.”Saying“Ido”atarehearsaldinnerwillnotenactmarriage.Performativesareutterancesthatengenderformativeforcepertheutterance(formative+per(utterance)=performative).Performativesare,evenwithoutaButlerianslant,fecundarenaforlegalinterrogation. AlthoughButlerdoesnotstrictlyadheretoanAustianiannotionofspeech-acttheory,occasionally(re)citingJohnSearle,Derridaandmanyothers,thenotionthatspeechdoessomethingbeyondtheintendedsemanticandsyntacticalmeaningsremainsacentralaspectofherwritings.5JudithButler,BodiesthatMatter(1993);ExcitableSpeech(1997).Importantly,shecombinesspeechacttheorywithaphenomenologicaltheoryof“acts,”Lacanianpsychoanalysis,aswellasaheavydoseofFoucault’snotionsofsubjectformationtoexplainhowsocialagentsconstituteandreconstituterealitythroughtheirperformanceoflanguage,gestureandsign.6Butler,PerformativeActsandGenderConstitution:AnEssayinPhenomenologyandFeministTheory(1988)40(4)TheatreJournal519-531;GenderTrouble(1990);ThePsychicLifeofPower83(1997).UnderButler’saccount,“agency”alreadyimplies“socialagency,”whichistosaythatsomeoneexhibitingagencyisalreadypubliclyidentifiable.Performativesarethen“insertedinacitationalchain,andthatmeansthatthetemporalconditionsformakingthespeechactprecedeandexceedthemomentaryoccasionofitsenunciation.”7Butler,NotesTowardaPerformativeTheoryofAssembly176(2015). EarlyButlerfocusedontheproductionofwomenassubjectsoffeminism.FollowingFoucault,whoarguedthatsubjectsareconstructedthroughthejuridicalnotionsofpowertoproducethesubjectstheycometorepresent,Butlerseekstouncoverhowitisthat“woman”comestobeasubjectandhowsubjectstatusallowsonetostandbeforethelaw.8GenderTrouble,2.Thisnotionthatsomeonecomestostandbeforethelawthroughthe(re)constructionofsubjectiveagencyiscontinuallyexploredthroughhertexts.The“law”Butlerspeaksofdoesnotnecessarilymeanjuridicallaw.Instead,itcouldbe“heterosexuallaw”whichisabundlingofjuridicalanddisciplinaryformsofpowerintoadiscursiveperformanceasawayofbeing.Throughoutthecourseofone’slife,onereiteratesperformancesofgenderthatconformtoagendernorm,whichhasthediscursivefunctionofre-inscribinggenderperformativesandrenderingtheindividualintelligibile.Assuch,“genderisalwaysadoing,thoughnotadoingbyasubjectwhomightbesaidtopre-existthedeed.”9GenderTrouble,25. Toseehowthisworks,consideradoctor/nurse’sannouncement,“It’sagirl!”Thedoctor/nurse’sutteranceisaperformativeactthatinitiatesandconstitutesthatinfant’swayofbeingintheworld.Onecouldtoohastilyobjectthattheinfantissexedandisthereforeagirl.Thatobjectionelidesthedoctor/nurse’sperformativeutterancethatcollapsessex/genderintosocialidentityformation.Considerthetermscitedinthefollowingsentence:“theinfanthadfemale-bodypartsthatallowedthedoctortoexclaimitisagirl.”The“infant-body,”whichisalsocalled“it”beforeitis“girl-ed”or“boy-ed,”hasnosocialidentity.Whenthebodyisidentifiedas“girl,”theutteranceimposes“girl-ness”uponthebody,thereininterpellatingthe“infant”/”it”into“girl.”Theactofthedoctor/nurseisnotmereperformance.Itisperformativebecausetheactofnamingthebodya“girl”alsoconstructs“her”identityas“girl.”Thisisnotanaturalfactofthebody,butaforcible“citationofanorm,onewhosecomplexhistoricityisindissociablefromrelationsofdiscipline,regulation,punishment’.10BodiesthatMatter,232.ItissalienttoButler’saccountthatbeforebeinggirl-edorboy-edthe“infant-body”or“it”isalsoexcludedfromsocialidentificationbythere-iterabilityofthenorm. Asconnectedwithlegalstudies,shewrites“Lawisnotliterallyinternalized,butincorporated,withtheconsequencesthatbodiesareproducedwhichsignifythatlawonandthroughthebody.”11GenderTrouble,134-5.Lawdictatestheformofperformancebutoneperformsthelawthroughtheirexpressionevenifitnotnecessarilyoftheirchoosing.Thedoctor’s/nurse’sorsomeoneelse’sperformativeinitiatesa‘script’(orform)that“governs”andgivesrisetotheperformanceofandonthebody.Thisdoesnotmeanonecannotrejectthatscriptandadoptanewone.MuchhashappenedsinceGenderTroublewaspublishedin1990!Thepointisthatthesubjectonlyremainsasubjectsolongastheyareabletoreiterateoneselfasanidentifiable,intelligibleandhencegovernablesubject,whichisdependentonthesubject’sabilitytoreiterateperformativescoherently.Ifoneinitiatesaperformativewithoutascript,onethatisfullyoutsidetheboundsofintelligibility,theperformanceoridentitywillbeunheeded,butitdoesnotmeantheyareoutsidetheboundsofpower.Whatrendersoneintelligiblealsodemarcateswhatisunintelligible. Theperformativenamingofabodyuponbirth,eithermale/femaleorgirl/boy,engagesanartificialbinarythatsuppressesmoresubversivesexualdisruptionsofhegemonicheteronormativediscourse.However,thedisciplinaryapparatusthatproducediscoursesofsubjectionbringabouttheveryconditionsforsubvertingthatsameapparatus.“Inotherwords,thelawturnsagainstitselfandspawnsversionofitselfwithopposeandproliferateitsanimatingpurpose.”12PsychicLife,100.Thoseperformatives,thosemost“injuriousinterpellations”maythenbecomesitesofradicalreoccupationandresignificationbecausethose‘signs/scripts/forms’arediscursivelyconstructed. Weregenderidentitiesfailtofitwithinthebinaryformonemayenactanidentitythatchallengesintelligibilitywhilesubvertingthegenderbinary. Thesubversiveusesofperformativityaremanifestthroughcitationandre-citationoftheperformative.Itistheuseof“ordinarylanguage”in“non-ordinary”ways,orwhatDerridawouldcall“reinscription”thatatermcanbreakwithdiscoursetoengenderinsurrectionarypotential.13ExcitableSpeech,144-5.Theiterabilityoftheperformanceisgeneratedfromthecitationalityofthesignthatallowsoneto‘maketrouble’bycitingorrecitingtheperformativeinwaysthatarecontrarytoorrevealingoftheinstabilityofheteronormativehegemony.14See,e.g.,Derrida’sLimitedInc.,7-12.Insteadofsaying“it’sagirl”thedoctor/nursecouldhaveuttered“it’salesbian!”ForButler,“thequeerappropriationoftheperformativemimesandexposesboththebindingpoweroftheheterosexualizinglawanditsexpropriability.”15BodiesthatMatter,232. Althoughthereisasubversiveuse,thereisalwaysthefearthat(re)citingtheperformativeeitherre-inscribestheheteronormativehegemonyorfallsoutsideoftheintelligible.Forinstance,onemightquerywhethergaymarriagepromotesoropposesheteronormativehegemony?Onemighteasilysaythatitopposeshegemonicpowersbecausegaymarriagemakesmarriagesgay.However,followingMichaelWarner,gaymarriagemightalsomakegayswhomarrymoreheteronormativetherebyre-entrenchingthestatusquoandfurthermarginalizingthosethatarenotyetbeforethelaw.16MichaelWarner,TheTroublewithNormal:Sex,PoliticsandtheEthicsofQueerLife(1999).Awayoutofthis,Ithink,isthenotionthatwhateveristhestatusquothatgivesrisetothereal,the“forms”orthe“scripts”thatareperformedgivingrisetointelligibleperformance,isdiscursivelyconstituted.Thisalwaysallowsforrearticulationandre-inscription. ForButler,therearenonaturalbodiesorbodiesthatpre-existsocietalorculturalinscription.UnlikeArendt,whoappearstobelievethattherearebodiesthatcanremainprivate,Butlerdisagrees.Althoughabodymaynotbeinthespaceofappearance,orthesphereofthepolis,theirexclusionfromthatrealmisaresultofdiscursivelyconstructedperformativeeffectsuponthebodythatmarginalizeorexcludeit.Theyarestill“saturated”inpowerrelations.Thereisnozoetothebiosor“barelife”inAgamben’ssense.17Butler,Notes,79-80.Revealingandcallingattentiontothatdiscursiveoperationthroughperformancescanassistinreimaginghowbodiesrelatetooneanother. TheabilitytocontinuallychallengeismoreclearlyillustratedinButler’slaterworks.WhereButler’searlyworksaremorefocusedon,perhaps,theindividual,recentworksaremoreon“precarity,”orthemakingofthosewhoareprecariousoronthemargins.18See,JudithButler&AthenaAthanasiou,Dispossession:ThePerformativeinthePolitical(2013);NotesTowardsaPerformativeTheory.Again,thisreciteshowonecomestostandbeforethelaw–orhowthelawdisallowspeopletostandbeforeit.Noteveryonecancomebeforethelaw,butthelegalconstructionthatactstomarginalizethosewhocannotcomebeforeitgeneratestheveryconditionsofdestabilization.Whileperformativesenactstructuresofexclusion,theyarethesamethatgiverisetoconditionsofradicaldemonstration. Performativecontradictions,thosespeechactsthatunderminetheirperformativeuseintheactofspeaking,demonstratethefailureofnormstobeuniversalizingandtotalizing.Forinstance,intermsoflegalcensorship,theregulationthat“stateswhatitdoesnotwantstatedthwartsitsowndesire…thatthrowsintoquestionthatregulation’scapacitytomeananddowhatitsays[.]”19ExcitableSpeech,130.Performativecontradictionscanbetacticallyperformedtopubliclydestabilizedpretensesofuniversalitybyhighlightingit’sspatialandtemporaldimensions.Forinstance,ButlerdiscusseshowundocumentedpeopleinLosAngelestooktothestreetstosingtheAmericanNationalAntheminSpanishin2006.20JudithButler&GayatriChakravortySpivak,WhoSingstheNation-State?62-3(2007).Whenso-calledillegalaliens,whoare“supposed”tobeinthedark,appropriateapublicspace,especiallyinan“illegalpublicdemonstration”tosing“America’s”NationalAntheminSpanish,theyenactmultiplecontradictionsthatinterjectconflictingruptureswithinnotionsofpublic/private,legal/illegal,self/other,andnational/non-national“ownerships.”Itisthelegalitythatmakestheillegal,andtheperformativereclamations,possible.Theperformanceofbodies,eventhosethatdonotorcannotsing,enact“speech”throughperformativecontradictionsinspacesandtimes,momentaryflickers,thatquestionwhoownswhatandwhoisitonethinksoneis. Butlerwritesofthreeusesforperformativity:1)it“seekstocounteracertainkindofpositivism,”whichmightbewithregardtogenderorthestate,2)itmay“counteracertainmetaphysicalpresumptionaboutculturallyconstructedcategoriesandtodrawourattentiontothediversemechanismsofthatconstruction”and3)itisalsousefulinbeginningtoarticulatetheprocessesthatproduceontologicaleffects,orthenaturalizedassumptionsofwhatconstitutesreality.21Butler,PerformativeAgency,3(2)J.CulturalEcon.147(2010).IalsoaddthatButler’saccountisusefulforunderstandinghowstrugglesforsubjectstatusinterpellateindividualswhoseektointerpolatewhichmayproducetheunintendedeffectoffurthermarginalizingthosewhoarealreadyprecarious. AlthoughButlerisrecognizedforherinfluenceingender/queerstudies,herworkiswidelyinfluential.Performativesaregenerallyusefultolegalstudiesbecausetheannouncementsoflawareoftenperformative.Howajudgereadsaverdictthathas(orfailstohave)performativepowertotransformrelationsisapotentialobjectoffurtherinquiry.WhencombinedwithButler’sinterestinthelocationofthesocialsubject,questionsaboutwhomaybethesubjectoftheperformativeutterance,whoisthespeakerwiththeostensiblyauthoritytomakeperformativeutterances,orwhoistheunseenorunheardbodynotyetbeforethelaw. StephenYoungisworkingonaPhDatUNSW. Callforcontributionsto‘KeyConcepts’. FacebookTwitterLinkedIn1StanelyCavell,TheClaimofReason206-7(1972).2J.L.Austin,HowtoDoThingswithWords1-11(1962).3JacquesDerrida,SignatureEventContest,inLimitedInc.3-12(1988).4Austin,supraat122-131.5JudithButler,BodiesthatMatter(1993);ExcitableSpeech(1997).6Butler,PerformativeActsandGenderConstitution:AnEssayinPhenomenologyandFeministTheory(1988)40(4)TheatreJournal519-531;GenderTrouble(1990);ThePsychicLifeofPower83(1997).7Butler,NotesTowardaPerformativeTheoryofAssembly176(2015).8GenderTrouble,2.9GenderTrouble,25.10BodiesthatMatter,232.11GenderTrouble,134-5.12PsychicLife,100.13ExcitableSpeech,144-5.14See,e.g.,Derrida’sLimitedInc.,7-12.15BodiesthatMatter,232.16MichaelWarner,TheTroublewithNormal:Sex,PoliticsandtheEthicsofQueerLife(1999).17Butler,Notes,79-80.18See,JudithButler&AthenaAthanasiou,Dispossession:ThePerformativeinthePolitical(2013);NotesTowardsaPerformativeTheory.19ExcitableSpeech,130.20JudithButler&GayatriChakravortySpivak,WhoSingstheNation-State?62-3(2007).21Butler,PerformativeAgency,3(2)J.CulturalEcon.147(2010). 2Comments Dollyon29July2018at6:55pmIamworkingonperformativityamongSindhiwomen.kindlyguidememoreonthistopic,willwaitforyournextarticleonperformativity.Reply ChrisLeongon10April2019at2:38pmThanks,thiswasanexcellentarticle.I’vebeenexposedtoherideasbefore,butIdidn’tunderstandthemverywelluntilreadingthisarticleReply SubmitaCommentCancelreplyYouremailaddresswillnotbepublished.Requiredfieldsaremarked*Comment*Name* Email* Website Notifymeoffollow-upcommentsbyemail.Notifymeofnewpostsbyemail.SubmitComment ΔThissiteusesAkismettoreducespam.Learnhowyourcommentdataisprocessed. 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