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8
Introduction
ubiquitousmedia,oroftheremainsofpatriarchy–thereexiststhe
unspokenandtheinexpressibleinhoweverlatentaform.Thatunderneath
thenever-endingplayofever-presentsignifiersthererestsadeeper,
perhapsevenametaphysicalrealmoftheas-yetundiscoveredpresence.
Hence,seenasapromiseoftheunrepresented,thenotionof
camouflageremainsintimatelyrelatedwiththedesireitprovokes–
thedesiretotransgresstheboundariesofsocialacceptability,political
correctness,historicaldeterminationandothertracesofthestill
detectableideologiesofReason.Naturally,thedesiretoseethroughthe
fakecoverofthingsisinitselfopentoanumberofoftencontradictory
interpretations.Thedesire–orratherdesires–touncoverthetruth
behindthecamouflagerangefromanurgetobringbackthelonggone
grandnarrativetoaninvitationtoexploretherepressedorforgotten
componentsofidentity,toamereanalysisofcamouflageasasurvival
strategy.
Butthereremainsyetathirdwayofapproachingthenotion/
practiceofcamouflage.Regardlessofwhetherthedrivetotransgress
theofteninvisiblewallofthelatentisinstigatedbysocial,discursive,
psychoanalyticalorsurvivalmotifs,onemightstilldetectthesheerfear
(ratherthanhope)connectedwiththeprospectivefind.Whatifthe
truthbehindthecoverismoredisturbingthanthecoveritself?Whatif
whatliesbeneathturnsouttoescapeourcognitiveapparatuses,further
interruptingouralreadyshakenpostmodernsenseofthereal?Whatif
thetruthbeneathrequiresawholenewsetofdiscursivepracticesand
perspectivesforwhichthecontemporaryconfusedsubjectmightstill
notbeready?Andfinally–andperhapsmostdisturbingly–whatifthe
camouflageisrevealedtobecamouflagingnothingatall?
Thatiswhatthisbookisabout.Aboutthevarietyofourperceptions
ofcamouflageaswellasthemultitudeofculturalpracticesitinspires
andprovokes.Aboutthesubtletensionsbetweenthetransparentnature
ofitsdiscursiverepresentationsandthenot-so-transparentstructures
oftheirideologicalfoundations.Aboutthewholerangeofliterary
manifestationsrevolvingaroundtheambiguousconnectionsbetween
thevisibleandtherealandthewayinwhichtheyarerepresented.
Butmostofall,itisabookaboutthequestionsoftheconsequences
ofcamouflage’sdoublepresenceinourcontemporarycultural
environments,socialandtextualalike,theanswerstowhicharelocated
betweenthefearofwhatliesbeneathandtheoftendesperatedesire
thatwhateveritisitwillenlargeratherthancomplicatethecognitive
horizonsofourpostmodernlandscapes.
Forthesakeofthereader’sconveniencethepapersinthisbookhave
beendividedintothreemainchaptersrevolvingaroundtheideasof
