Ordeal,Infidelity, and Prophetic Irony in Jeremiah 2,1-9

ABSTRACT

Jer 2,1-9 commences a -lawsuit, yet much of the imagery and many of the themes found therein have not been fully explained. For example, what is the rationale behind the metaphor of Israel as Yahweh's ‘holy thing’ () or ‘his first fruit’ () in tandem with the motif of marriage? How do these positive portrayals of Israel function within the lawsuit, and in particular how do they relate to the unflattering allegations in verses 4–9? And what is the significance of the repetition of the verbal elements “to eat” () and “to enter” () in the first two oracles of this lawsuit? It is my contention that the answers to these questions are found in the subtle allusion that Jeremiah 2,3 makes to a type of ordeal in which a consumable that was imbued with magical properties was ingested and subsequent illness served as a sign of guilt and judgment.     

Gender trouble in the Old Testament three models of the relation between sex and gender

Abstract

Conceptions of sex and gender are cultural fictions. Three models of the relation between sex and gender have been analysed: 1. turned out to be a masculine universalist concept. 2. Even if we were to rediscover our modern conception of sexual/biological difference in the Old Testament ( is reserved for women), this does not imply a causal connection between sex and gender on the linguistic level. 3. In the concepts of and the Old Testament provides a gender‐neutral conception of the human body.     

The LGBT specter in Russia: refusing queerness,claiming ‘Whiteness’

Abstract

 

In Europe ‘homoemancipation’ has played a significant role in legitimating anti-multiculturalism and broader Islamophobia. Similarly, political homophobia in Russia plays a significant role in (re)defining the contested meaning of the nation after the demise of the Soviet empire. While acknowledging the repressive and violent impact of contemporary anti-LGBT legislation and public discourse on LGBT people, this essay analyzes how the discursive refusal to affirm non-normative sexuality is constitutive of an ethno-national project in post-Soviet Russia. This analysis goes beyond the Cold War binary of east/west that oversimplifies Russian political homophobia as in opposition to Europe. By doing so, it is argued that Russia is not just an illiberal state, but entangled in Eurocentric projects that define national (racialized) boundaries through sexual politics. Consequently, challenging political homophobia in Russia requires attending to intersectional strategies and approaches to sexual politics. An intersectional approach to solidarity will situate sexual rights within national and global ethno-national, racialized, and colonial projects.     

Thailand-Four elections and a coup

Thailand's political turmoil, evident after the December 2007 elections, is more than the sparks of ordinary conflict between rival elites seeking access to state power. The struggle has become not just about state capture, but also about who gets to determine the most fundamental questions relating to political order – the rules of the game. This article offers a critical interpretation of a decade of Thai politics, with the focus on the 2007 election and its aftermath. It examines debates about democracy, considers the position of the Thai monarchy and reflects on the regional implications of the Thai crisis.