Assembling consensual non-monogamy: Intimacies and multiplicities.

This article examines consensual non-monogamy (CNM)—a practice where individuals openly engage in romantic or sexual relationships outside a primary partnership—through the lens of assemblage theory, which emphasizes dynamic, affective relationships and capacities rather than fixed identities. Drawing on survey responses from 363 self-identified CNM practitioners, the study explores how CNM assemblages both enhance and impede individuals’ capacities to form new connections with themselves and others within a predominantly mononormative society. Participants reported experiences of shame and societal stigma that constrained their capacities, often linked to conservative religious backgrounds, but also described empowerment, personal growth, and expanded relational possibilities facilitated by CNM and supportive communities. The authors argue that assemblage theory offers a valuable framework for understanding CNM as a fluid process of becoming, highlighting affective capacities over identity categories and challenging normative assumptions about relationships and sexuality.