"The book offers a thorough overview both of long-standing debates around gender and sexuality and of current issues. It nicely locates the debates within the sociological tradition, and this provides a distinctive and valuable feature. Not the least of the merits of this book is its international focus, and it will prove invaluable for students exploring the diverse pattern of sexuality and gender in an age of globalization. The authors are at the cutting edge of their subject, and so is the book."
--Jeffrey Weeks, author of Sexuality, Third Edition and Emeritus Professor of Sociology, London South Bank University

"Finally, a book that bridges feminism and critical sex studies. Rahman and Jackson have written a smart, accessible overview of the dynamic relationship between gender and sexuality that will seriously engage an undergraduate audience. This book teaches students by raising questions and providing the intellectual resources to navigate the complex terrain of contemporary sexual and gender politics. One of the few 'must-use' classroom texts I've read in a long time."
--Steven Seidman, author of The Social Construction of Sexuality, State University of New York

This new introduction to the sociology of gender and sexuality offers a fresh take on the importance of these concepts in modern society. It provides an insight into our rapidly changing attitudes towards sex and our understanding of masculine and feminine identities, relating the study of gender and sexuality to wider social concerns throughout the world and presenting a comprehensive yet readable summary of recent research and theory.

In an accessible and engaging style, the book demonstrates how thinking about gender and sexuality can illuminate and enliven other contemporary sociological debates about social structure, social change, and culture and identity politics. Emphasis is placed on the diversity of gendered and sexual lives in different parts of the world. The book offers detailed coverage of wide-ranging topics, from international sex tourism to celebrity culture, from gender in the work-place to new sexual lifestyles, drawing examples from everyday life.

By demonstrating the links between gender and sexuality this book makes a clear case for thinking sociologically about these important and controversial aspects of human identity and behaviour. The book will be of great value to students in any discipline looking to understand the roles gender and sexuality play in our lives.

Introduction.

Notes and Resources for Further Study.

Part One: The Development of Sociological Thought on Gender and Sexuality.

Chapter 1: The Trouble with 'Nature'.

Learning Outcomes.

Notes and Resources for Further Study.

Part Two: Social Structure and Inequalities.

Introduction to Part Two.

Chapter 3: Gender, Sexuality and Structural Inequality.

Chapter 4: The Idea of Patriarchy.

Chapter 5: Rethinking Gendered and Sexual Inequalities.

Learning Outcomes.

Notes and Resources for Further Study.

Part Three: Culture, Ideology and Discourse.

Introduction to Part Three.

Chapter 6: Gender and Sexuality as Cultural Constructs.

Chapter 7: Critical Perspectives on Knowledge.

Chapter 8: The Complexity of Contemporary Culture.

Learning Outcomes.

Notes and Resources for Further Study.

Part Four: Self, Identity and Agency.

Introduction to Part Four.

Chapter 9: The Socialization Paradigm and its Critics.

Chapter 10: Becoming Gendered and Sexual.

Chapter 11: Sexual Selves in Global Late Modernity.

Learning Outcomes.

Notes and Resources for Further Study.

Part 5: Conclusion.

Chapter 12: Power, Politics, Identities and Social Change.

Notes and Resources for Further Study.

Bibliography.

Momin Rahman is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trent University, Canada.

Stevi Jackson is Professor of Women's Studies and Director of the Women's Studies Centre at the University of York.