Review: Jeffrey Weeks: Sexuality. Second Edition.

Abstract

In lieu of an abstract, here is the first paragraph of the review: 

For this new edition of his classic Sexuality, British historical sociologist Jeffrey Weeks updated and rewrote every chapter in order to include new issues that have emerged in the past twenty years (such as newer debates on gay marriage) - a period within which sexuality has turned into a mainstream topic. But Weeks also points out that his views have not changed since the first edition was published in 1986. The main point of his book remains the same: It is an argument against the idea of "sexuality" as something only "natural." The book facilitates access to complex theories. Weeks provides a good overview over different ways of conceptualizing sexuality within social sciences; one of his main purposes is to denaturalize sexuality: "Yet it is the task of sociology and the other social sciences to 'deconstruct' naturalism, and to determine how actions are given their meaning and significance via social interaction" (VII).