In Telling Flesh, Vicki Kirby addresses what may be the major theoretical issue in both the social sciences and feminist theory, namely the nature/culture dualism. Her particular focus is on postmodern approaches to corporeality.

Offering an account of the work and thought of Judith Butler, this guide is meant for those studying this pioneering thinker within the context of sociology, cultural studies, literary criticism, feminism, and philosophy. It explores her contributions to gender theory, and her impact on how the discipline of gender studies has been shaped.

Here, a leading feminist theorist rethinks deconstruction and its relevance to nature, embodiment, materialism, and science. Kirby exposes the limitations of theories that regard culture as a second order system that cannot access, much less be - nature, body, and materiality.