Homosexuality and Science: A Guide to the Debates

(Hardback)

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Description

Covering the 19th century to the start of the 21st century, this volume explores the various agruments and developments scientists have used to understand and "treat" homosexuality. It shows how theories of homosexuality have been shaped by hereditary theory, evolution, eugenics, endocrinology, neurobiology, molecular biology, psychology, genetics, anthropology and sexology. It considering the topic within the broader contexts of politics, culture and society. It delineates the biological evidence used to defend the normality of homosexuality, such as twin studiesm, molecular genetics, neurobiological studies and other contemporary research. It includes narratives of gay people mistreated by medical science, contemporary gay and lesbian health and mental health findings, and historical documents on the treatment of homosexuality.

Reviews

"Librarians in larger high school and public libraries should include this text with others in the Controversies in Science series. College-level instructors tackling social debates as justified by scientific positions should review this work before selecting the textbooks they will assign. Rosario's excellent scholarship provides a fine model for students researching any complex topic." - VOYA "[A] scholarly but highly readable history of the relationship in Western culture (principally American) between various branches of science and the study of homosexuality ... This worthy addition to the Controversies in Science series will be useful in both public and academic libraries in either the reference or circulating collections." - American Reference Books Annual "This intellectual survey will be useful to advanced high school students taking courses in gender studies and the history of science." - School Library Journal

Author Bio

Vernon A. Rosario is a child psychiatry fellow at the Neuropsychiatric Institute of the University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.