Psychology & Psychiatry : Human Sexuality

Scientific discoveries about the animal kingdom fuel ideological battles on many fronts, especially battles about sex and gender. We now know that male marmosets help take care of their offspring. Is this heartening news for today's stay-at-home dads? Recent studies show that many female birds once thought to be monogamous actually have chicks that are fathered outside the primary breeding pair. more...

Price: $12.95

Despite the advent of new sexual knowledges,new perspectives, new experiences even, we do not routinely or habitually reflect on the interface of social and legal dimensions of sexuality. Rather, the law is periodically reviewed in response to some crisis or campaign. The idea for the book thus came from awareness that it is important to explore some of the social and moral censures, contours and controversies that shape and mark the boundaries of sexuality. The production of the book has coincided with a major review and new legislation concerning sexual offences, fuelling the authors' concerns and making their explorations timely. Interdisciplinary in scope, drawing in biological, psychological, sociological and historical perspectives to set out the new battlegrounds of sexuality, for instance, but with particular emphasis on socio-legal issues, the book examines the following areas: the development of sexuality and the right to define one's sexuality; genetic maps and sexual politics; sexuality and same sex relationships in law; the law in relation to intersecting oppressions concerning lesbians, gay men and trans people; the sexual abuse of children and the limitations of the law; the contours of regulation concerning young people, 'sexual health', and prostitution; sexual freedoms versus protectionist debates; sexuality, desire and embodied performances in the workplace; sexuality, film and the law, and the law on sexuality in the everyday practice of the Care Standards Tribunal. The book also reviews the recent reform of sexual offences and examines the current vogue for psychological treatment interventions for. sexual offenders. This book offers a highly original and exciting new exploration of contemporary socio-legal issues in relation to different sexual positions. more...

Price: $67.00

Sex offenders, particularly those who offend against children, feature prominently in contemporary law and order debates. Child sexual abuse is a small component of the broader category of 'gendered and sexualised violence' which causes significant trauma for victims yet continues to evade conventional approaches to justice. This is evidenced not only by the low number of prosecutions, due mostly to low levels of reporting and evidential difficulties at trial, but also by the failure of the justice system to prevent re-offending, largely due to the limited availability and effectiveness of prison treatment programmes. Following Braithwaite's dichotomy of 'reintegrative' and 'disintegrative' shaming, this book argues that contemporary popular and state-led responses to the risk posed by sex offenders are largely disintegrative in nature. At best, the offender may be labelled, stigmatised and ostracised from the community, while at worst, he may be subjected to violence and vigilante action and ultimately return to offending behaviour. The failure of these retributive responses means there is considerable scope for exploring alternative forms of justice and their potential for improving the outcome for victims, offenders and communities affected by sexual offences. This book examines the controversy of whether restorative justice can be applied to child sexual abuse as one of the most intractable of contemporary societal problems, and if so, what special considerations might apply. Although restorative schemes with sex offenders are in short supply, a few initiatives have developed in Canada and parts of the United States which have effected significant benefits in 'reintegrative shaming.' The book examines whether such ad hoc schemes may be of general application with child sexual abuse and whether they may be implemented on a more holistic basis. more...

Price: $63.00

An inspiring look into the lives of older women. Based on research and extensive interviews, Still Doing It explores the lives of daring, outspoken, and sensual women of an older generation who actively embrace new romantic relationships and sexual experiences. Here is a beacon for women of all ages—partnered, single, straight, gay, black, or white—who look forward to reinventing themselves, enjoying their bodies, and taking risks at all stages in life. As women continue to live longer, healthier lives, their appetite for sex is slow to fade. For the women profiled in this work, sex is not optional but an essential part of their wellbeing. Yet, in our culture, sex for older women is considered taboo. Our society prefers grandmothers in frumpy sweaters, knitting on the front porch, not buying sex toys or going on hot dates. But the boomers are the generation who demanded equal rights in their youth—will they not demand sexual freedom later in life?. Still Doing It: The Intimate Lives of Women Over Sixty is the first book to send out the battle cry, take on the myths and misconceptions, and provide women of all ages with the tools and the inspiration to demand nothing but the best for themselves, whatever the age. It lets everyone know that sex does not need to end when you hit sixty (or seventy . . . or ninety!). In fact, the good stuff is often just beginning. Filled with great personal stories, advice from experts, eye-opening facts and statistics, Still Doing It will change the way we think about sensuality, intimacy, and identity. more...

Price: $24.95

Over the last two decades, a rich, diverse, yet sometimes contradictory body of research has been gathered under the general rubric of "psychology of women." This burgeoning literature represents several disciplines, among them psychology, psychiatry, sociology, political science, and women's studies. To bring sense to this agglomeration of views, both for the layperson and the student, the author looks at research in this area as a social process and refutes the notion that science can be objective about its search for universal truths. She asks us to reflect on how we choose among explanations of behavior, calling the need to examine the psychology of women in a social and historical context. Throughout the book, Riger reveals how interpretive frameworks shape how we perceive research findings. Her central theme suggests that social factors shape the meaning and experience of biological femaleness.  more...

Price: $14.95