Sex and sexuality are contentious subjects in the United States, as elsewhere. Sex and sexuality are understood often as private, intimate matters, and yet seem to be omnipresent. We have witnessed rapid transformations of sex and sexuality over the past century with transitions in intimate and sexual life, the legalization of same-sex marriage, conversations about sexual assault materializing with the #MeToo movement, along with the rise of new sexual identities (e.g., pansexual, bisexual) and familial and sexual formations (e.g., polyamory), to name a few. This course will examine sex and sexuality from a sociological perspective.

The first unit will tackle foundations in the sociological study of sex and sexuality. We will approach sexuality from a historical perspective, situate the study of sex and sexuality in pertinent theoretical frameworks, and then turn to examine the interconnectedness of sexuality and other important social and material differences (e.g., gender, race, class). The next unit will examine the importance of sexuality in structuring important institutions, such as the family, schools, higher education, the workplace, and the medical establishment. The third and final unit will analyze sex and sexuality in contemporary society, turning attention to sexuality on college campuses, sexual pleasure and orgasms, hookup culture, sex work, and technology. The course will conclude by thinking about the future of sex and sexuality in sociological projects and in society.