The Politics of Sexuality: A Documentary and Reference Guide

(Hardback)

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Since the landmark 1965 Supreme Court ruling Griswold v. Connecticut established a Constitutional right to privacy, the regulation of sexuality has become an extremely volatile area of American politics. From reproductive rights to sex education, pornography to gay marriage, the balance between community norms and individual autonomy has been fiercely contested. These and related subjects are often viewed in isolation, as though they were entirely separate issues. Yet as the documentary record makes clear, they are in fact closely interrelated, and their impact is cumulative. By addressing a broad array of topics at the intersection of sexuality and politics, this volume highlights the connections and makes an important contribution to a debate that touches every American. Taking as a starting point the 1965 Griswold decisionsometimes said to have launched the sexual revolutionthe approximately 100 primary source documents assembled here either mark watersheds in themselves or are representative of a broad range of political developments. The documents are drawn from all quarters of U.S. political life. They include legislative texts; proposed laws and constitutional amendments; state and federal court rulings; political party platforms; and interest-group position statements.

Reviews

Smith (political science, Columbia U. and New York U.) collects 62 primary source documents that mark key events in the regulation of sexuality in the US, from the 1965 Supreme Court ruling Griswold v. Connecticut, which established a Constitutional right to privacy, up to 2008. Included are legislative texts, proposed laws and constitutional amendments, state and federal court rulings, political party platforms, and interest-group position statements. Along with commentary, historical and comparative international information, and photos, the documents relate to reproductive rights, contraception and abortion, sexual expression and sex education, women's equality, sexual orientation and identity, marriage, and sex scandals. * Reference & Research Book News *
Black-and-white photos, a bibliography of selected resources, and an index enhance a thought-provoking volume. * Booklist *
an interesting collection of primary documents. * Library Journal *
This should be a worthwhile resource for those not accustomed to research using public documents. Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; general readers. * Choice *

Author Bio

RAYMOND A. SMITH teaches at Columbia University and New York University and is a research scientist and Director of Communications at the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies in New York City. He is coauthor of Drugs into Bodies: Global AIDS Treatment Activism (Praeger, 2006) and has edited major reference sets on American political participation and on AIDS.