Over the past generation there has been a revolution in our understanding of human sexualities. From being on the periphery of historical and scientific studies, sexuality has increasingly come to be seen as close to the heart of our understanding of contemporary societies. Since the 1960s there has been an explosion of new sexual knowledges which have re-shaped the ways in which the erotic is understood. A rich new literature has emerged, often produced by scholars influenced by feminism, lesbian and gay politics and other sexual movements.

Sexualities and Society: A Reader offers a selection of the best of recent scholarship, from a range of disciplinary perspectives. Addressing sexualities in global perspective, it introduces some of the most exciting texts in the field, bringing together a collection of compelling contemporary research which will be fascinating to readers worldwide. The chapters are grouped into five sections: social and historical approaches to sexualities; the gender of sexuality; sexual identities; globalization; power and resistance; and sexual values and life experiments.

Sexualities and Society will be a valuable resource for students of a range of courses addressing sexuality, including gender studies, feminist studies, the body, lesbian and gay studies and queer studies, aswell as sociology, cultural studies, politics, history and social policy.

Jeffrey Weeks and Janet Holland are at South Bank University. Matthew Waites is at Sheffield University.