Alfred L. Martin, Jr., "The Generic Closet: Black Gayness and the Black-Cast Sitcom" (Indiana UP, 2021)
How do race and sexuality intersect in the American sitcom? In\xa0The Generic Closet: Black Gayness and the Black-Cast Sitcom\xa0(Indiana University Press, 2021),\xa0\xa0Alfred L Martin, an\xa0assistant professor of communication studies at The University of Iowa, explores the production and reception of Black-cast sitcoms, along with a detailed analysis of the representations of gay men within this genre. At the centre of the book is a theorisation of the generic closet, both as a way to explain the absence of nuanced and complex representations of Black gay men on screen, and to account for the limited, decentred, and peripheral place offered to Black gay men in the Black-cast sitcom. Offering detailed engagement with the history and political economy of television, along with insights into writers\u2019 rooms, production decisions, and audience responses, the book is essential reading across humanities and social sciences, as well as for anyone interested in understanding contemporary culture.\nDave O'Brien\xa0is Chancellor's Fellow, Cultural and Creative Industries, at the University of Edinburgh's College of Art.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices\nSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies