Binding and unbinding kink: pain, pleasure, and empowerment in theory and practice

Abstract

This book is a collection of essays highlighting different disciplinary, topical, and practical approaches to the study of kink and popular culture. The volume is written by both academics and practitioners, bringing the essays a special perspective not seen in other volumes. Essays included examine everything from Nina Hartley fan letters to kink shibari witches to kink tourism in a South African prison. The focus is not just on kink as a sexual practice, but on kink as a subculture, as a way of living, and as a way of seeing popular culture in new and interesting ways. Amber R. Clifford-Napoleone is Professor of Anthropology and Director of the McClure Archives and University Museum at the University of Central Missouri, USA. She is the author of two monographs, Queerness in Heavy Metal (2015) and Queering the Inferno (2018). Her interests include identity development, music scenes and spaces, and popular culture.