Subjectivity, Agency, and the New Latin American History of Gender and Sexuality

Recent critiques of the concept of agency by social historians have raised concerns about the ways in which it distorts, flattens, and over‐simplifies the historical field. This article argues that a better theoretical understanding of the complex intersections of subjectivity (especially the process of subjection through which the subject is produced and maintained) and agency (as exercised by the subject) will resolve many of those concerns and provide a firmer theoretical foundation for future work on the histories of gender and sexuality in Latin America. The article has four parts. First, it discusses the concept of subjectivity and explains its usefulness for historical analysis. Second, it examines two recent critiques of agency and the challenges they pose for historians. Third, it reviews Judith Butler's recent work on the relationship between subjectivity and agency, shows how that work helps address the concerns raised the recent critiques of agency, and discusses why Butler's formulation of the subjectivity and agency problem might be especially useful for historians of gender and sexuality. Finally, it explores the implications of Butler's research agenda for the new Latin American history of gender and sexuality.