“Trans Life and Story-Led Theory” with Perry Zurn

The beauty of trans life is that it flourishes in unexpected spaces. This fortnight’s guest Perry Zurn has written a beautiful book about how trans life creates spaces for itself in the cracks, at the edges and in other liminal spaces. We speak about trans life at the university, trans poetics, and the problematisation of trans inclusion. Perry tells me about how he was able to rethink methodologies and the role of the researcher by working with story-led theory. Tune in now to attune yourself to trans thinking, histories and ourchives.  

References:
Perry Zurn’s How We Make Each Other: Trans Life at the Edge of the University (Duke University Press, 2025)
Perry Zurn and Dani S. Bassett’s Curious Minds: The Power of Connection (MIT Press, 2022)
Ren-yo Hwang
Enoch Page
Jack Gieseking
Andrea Lawlor
Jen Manion
Cavar’s “In Praise of -Less”
https://azejournal.com/article/2022/8/4/in-praise-of-less-transmad-shouts-from-absent-places
Amherst Collee, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and University of Massachusetts Amherst  

Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:

1.      What might trans poetics be? How does Perry define this term?
2.      Why does Perry like thinking through problems? What are two problems we speak about on the podcast?
3.      Perry describes what story-led theory is and how this method is, in a way, the opposite of how philosophy traditionally uses stories. Can you explain what story-led theory is and how it is different from other theory?
4.      How does Perry use the term ‘attunement’?
5.      Perry explains finding thematic clusters such as pebble, dust and glue. What is an object or entity you associate with trans life?