Governing Morals
A Social History of Moral Regulation
Published on 13. August 1999
Book
Paperback/Softback
284 pages
978-0-521-64689-5 (ISBN)
Description
This evocative and broad-ranging book traces the history of moral regulation in Britain and the US from the late seventeenth century to the present day. Specific coverage is given to movements such as the Society for the Reformation of Manners and the Vice Society, the sexual abuse and anti-pornography movements, and contemporary self-help movements. Hunt argues that the main impetus for moral regulations often stems from the middle classes, rather than those with institutional power, but most significantly they provide classic instances of the intimate link between the 'governance of others' and the 'governance of the self'. Using the work of Foucault, this book analyses how projects of self-regulation can manifest themselves into the regulation of others. Concurrent with this is the rise of health discourses, which play a central role in contemporary discussions of moral governance.
Reviews / Votes
"...a sweeping new interpretation of moral reformers that not only challenges conventional interpretations but also engages feminist history, as well as Foucauldian sensibilities, about the relation link between governance of others and governance of the self." P.C. Kemeny, Social Forces "Governing Morals is a thoughtful and valiant effort to re-invent historical sociology drawing on a much broader range of theoretical resources than were available to Weber." Mariana Valverde, CJS Online "This book succeeds on several levels and is well organized in its almost definitive coverage of specific periods of moral regulation efforts in Great Britain and the United States. Hunt provides a clear rationale behind the selection of each of the social movement. If the reader can maneuver around some of the excessive post-modern language, there are multitude of interesting ideas, and even some gems in this book...the book is well positioned for use in law courses as well as political science and other social science courses. Hunt provides a clear thesis that he tackles with gusto..." The Law and POlitics Book ReviewMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises; 1 Tables, unspecified; 1 Plates, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
465 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-64689-5 (9780521646895)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
08/1999
Cambridge University Press
€64.48
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Previous edition
Book
08/1999
Cambridge University Press
€64.48
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Professor Alan Hunt holds Chairs in Law and in Sociology at Carleton University, Ottawa and has published extensively on the critical legal studies movement
Content
1. The theory and politics of moral regulation; 2. Compulsion to virtue: societies for the reformation of manners and the prosecution of vice; 3. Moral regulation from above: the vice society; 4. From sexual purity to social hygiene, 1870-1918; 5. Moral regulation in America; 6. Sexual purity, maternal feminism and class in late-Victorian Britain; 7. Traditionalizing moral regulation: making sense of contemporary moral politics.