
Sexual Conduct
The Social Sources of Human Sexuality
William Simon(Author)
AldineTransaction (Publisher)
2nd Edition
Published on 31. December 2002
Book
Paperback/Softback
378 pages
978-0-202-30664-3 (ISBN)
Description
The first edition of Sexual Conduct, published in 1973, swiftly became a landmark text in the sociology of sexuality. It went on to profoundly shape the ideas of several generations of scholars and has become the foundation text of what is now known as the "social constructionist" approach to sexuality. The present edition, revised, updated, and containing new introductory and concluding materials, introduces a classic text to a new generation of students and professionals.
Traditional views of human sexuality posit models of man and woman in which biological arrangements are translated into sociocultural imperatives. This is best summarized in the phrase "anatomy is destiny." Consequently, the almost exclusive concern has been with the power of biology and nature in sexual conduct as opposed to understanding the significance and impact of social life. In Sexual Conduct, Gagnon and Simon lucidly argue that sexual activities, of all kinds, may be understood as the outcome of a complex psychosocial process of development. Using the social script theory, the authors trace the ways in which sexuality is learned and fitted into particular moments in the lifecycle and in different modes of behavior.
Sexual Conduct is a major attempt to consider sexuality within a non-biological, social psychological framework. It is a valuable addition to the study of human sexuality, and will be of interest to students of sociology, psychology, psychiatry, social work, and medicine.
Traditional views of human sexuality posit models of man and woman in which biological arrangements are translated into sociocultural imperatives. This is best summarized in the phrase "anatomy is destiny." Consequently, the almost exclusive concern has been with the power of biology and nature in sexual conduct as opposed to understanding the significance and impact of social life. In Sexual Conduct, Gagnon and Simon lucidly argue that sexual activities, of all kinds, may be understood as the outcome of a complex psychosocial process of development. Using the social script theory, the authors trace the ways in which sexuality is learned and fitted into particular moments in the lifecycle and in different modes of behavior.
Sexual Conduct is a major attempt to consider sexuality within a non-biological, social psychological framework. It is a valuable addition to the study of human sexuality, and will be of interest to students of sociology, psychology, psychiatry, social work, and medicine.
More details
Series
Edition
2nd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Somerset
United States
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Inc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
547 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-202-30664-3 (9780202306643)
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

E-Book
07/2017
2nd Edition
Routledge
€66.99
Available for download

E-Book
07/2017
2nd Edition
Routledge
€67.49
Available for download

Book
12/2002
2nd Edition
AldineTransaction
€197.20
Shipment within 10-15 days
Person
John H. Gagnon is professor emeritus of sociology and psychiatry at the State University of New York, Stony Brook. He is a coauthor of The Social Organization of Sexuality: Sexual Practices in the United States and Sex in America, and a coeditor of Encounters with AIDS: The Impact of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic on the Gay and Lesbian Communities. William Simon (1930-2000) was professor of sociology at the University of Houston. He also taught at Indiana University and from 1968 to 1975 was program supervisor at the Institute for Juvenile Research in Chicago. A pioneer in the development of the social constructionist approach to sexuality, Simon was a recipient of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality's Award for Distinguished Scientific Achievement.
Content
Foreword: Permanence and Change: Sexual Conduct Thirty Years On Kenneth PlummerPreface to the Second Edition John H. GagnonAcknowledgments to the First Edition1. The Social Origins of Sexual Development 2. Childhood and Adolescence 3. Postadolescent Sexual Development 4. The Pedagogy of Sex 5. Homosexuality Among Men 6. A Conformity Greater than Deviance: The Lesbian 7. The Prostitution of Women 8. Homosexual Conduct in Prison 9. Pornography: Social Scripts and Legal Dilemmas 10. Social Change and Sexual ConductAfterword: The Struggle Over Sexual Change Since 1970 John H. GagnonThe Writing of Sexual Conduct: Two Recollections The Never-Ending Conversation: Two InterviewsReferences Index