New horizons of desire

Abstract

The dossier New Horizons of Desire, organized by João Victtor Gomes Varjão and Murilo Souza Arruda, explores intersections between sexuality, desire, and territoriality in global and local contexts. Bringing together translations of contemporary articles, it addresses topics such as intimate labor, sexual performances, and the political implications of sexuality. The text includes analyses like that of Amalia L. Cabezas, who examines affective-sexual economies in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, highlighting how transnational tourism reshapes intimacy and labor. Moisés Lino e Silva proposes the concept of "ethnographic striptease" to understand queer sexuality in Rio de Janeiro's Rocinha Favela, emphasizing the tension between scientific rigor and subjectivity. Vaibhav Saria analyzes sexual relationships between hijras and men in rural India, subverting cultural norms of gender and sexuality through humor and narrative. By connecting bodies, desires, and territories, the authors highlight affective-sexual practices as strategies of agency and re-signification within contexts of global inequality.