Rethinking Sex: Social Theory and Sexuality Research

by Raewyn W. Connell, G. W. Dowsett (Editor)

This volume of essays sharply questions current knowledge and ideas about sexuality, social theory, and public policy research on sexuality. The contributors, internationally recognized scholars and activists from Australia, examine the dominant research models from the United States and Western Europe and propose a new perspective, one sensitive to the social construction of sexuality and its research and to variation in sexual practices across cultures. Addressing the debates over sexual conduct from contraception to AIDS prevention, Rethinking Sex provides a systematic examination of the social dimensions of sexuality. Social theory, public policy analysis, and historical and survey research are applied to issues ranging from AIDS and gay identity to perceptions of women's sexuality and relations between the state and private sexual behavior.

Hardcover

First published April 1, 1993

About the author

Raewyn Connell (also known as R.W. Connell and Robert W. Connell) is an Australian sociologist. She gained prominence as an intellectual of the Australian New Left. She is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Sydney and known for the concept of hegemonic masculinity and southern theory.

Reviews

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was published back in 1992 and is kind of a snapshot of thinking then, most chapters mention AIDS as one of the big issues. There is also an attempt to depathologise homosexuality and "prostitution". I probably would have found that useful (or perhaps shocking) back in 1992, the year I turned 18.

I found the last chapter not a very satisfying end to the book, overall it's more of a collection of people's thinking about sexuality studies rather than a unified book. It wasn't bad but it's older than my adult kids.