ABSTRACT
Queer theories, like feminist theories, are 'critical' theories in the sense that they challenge the subordination of sexual Others by questioning assumptions about what is normal. This chapter considers the contribution of queer theories to the study of urban process, suggesting that these theories challenge some established understandings of the city by placing specific emphasis on questions of embodiment, sexuality and desire. It outlines some of the key concepts and constructs deployed in queer studies, and suggests how these might enrich the understanding of urban processes. Queer theory is a body of work that challenges established views of sexuality that regard it as solely biologically rooted or, conversely, merely a social construct. One of the more obvious insights concerning sexuality offered by urban and regional studies has been the idea that contemporary city life offers a multitude of sexual experiences, and is more liberated than traditional, rural communities characterised as staid, conservative and family-oriented.
