Sex Scandals in American Politics: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Construction and Aftermath of Contemporary Political Sex Scandals

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From the misbehavior of President Clinton to Governor Mark Sanford's Argentinean tryst, sex scandals have become a prominent feature of American public life. This unique collection of essays explains why politicians elected for their leadership and promises of ethical behavior risk their career, and the socio-political consequences of their actions. It argues that political sex scandals are distinct from other types of sex scandals because the nature of elected office is very different from "civilian" life. The construction, disgrace, and aftermath of political sex scandals are examined from different academic angles, including the politics of place, human communication, political psychology, media, sociology, feminism, and criminology. The essays delve into the role of culture and geography on the political outcome of a scandal, the rhetoric of apologia, the psychology of risk, trends and patterns in media coverage, the impact on different organized interests, legal ramifications, and how different countries view political sex scandal.This accessible work will engage anyone studying American politics, political behavior, political communication as well as sociological issues and the role of the media.

Reviews

"Rarely do sex scandals receive careful attention and consideration from academics. Rarer still does a volume as comprehensive as this come along. The authors provide a systematic, exhaustive, and multi-disciplinary approach in an area begging for empirical analysis. Aside from tackling the obvious questions of why politicians engage in such risky behavior, this book forces us to ask deeper questions about the electorate and their fickle relationship with elected officials." - David Wiltse, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Briar Cliff University.
"This timely book addresses political sex scandals from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Unique from so-called "exposes," the authors approach the salaciousness of American politics from the viewpoints of constitutional law, communication, geogaphy, history, media, political science, and psychology. Well researched and articulately written, each essay engages the reader as scholar and populist. Highly informative, this volume is an essential read for those intrigued by power and the sexual license it seemingly grants politicians."- Keith V. Erickson, University of Southern Mississippi
As this edited volume so aptly demonstrates, there is no single or simple reason why men who have been elected to political office engage in risky sexual behaviors that may bring them down from the pinnacle of power. Just as complex is the hair-trigger response of the American public and media, even to behaviors that while they may be amoral, are not illegal. Dagnes and contributors offer multiple analytic lenses to help readers understand both the dynamics that drive individual behavior, as well as the social and political context in which these behaviors and responses occur - American society in the 21st century - one that is so profoundly ambivalent about sex, and the role of sex in our lives. -- Betsy Crane, Ph.D., Professor, Director, Graduate Programs in Human Sexuality, Widener University.
Pre-pub feature in the Shippensburg, PA Record Herald

Author Bio

Alison Dagnes is Associate Professor of Political Science at Shippensburg University, USA. After being a producer at C-SPAN in Washington, she moved to academia and now teaches courses on American government and politics. Her research interests focus on American political behavior and ideology in modern American politics. She is the author of Politics on Demand: The Effects of 24-Hour News on American Politics (Praeger, 2010)