An introduction to the study of sexuality

the long version

This book examines some of the ways in which sexuality has been described and interpreted in Western culture. In the first part of the book, four important paradigms are examined: the Christian view of sex as sinful; the psychoanalytical model; the 'social construction' model, which proposes that 'sexuality' is a modern concept; and fourthly, the possible connections between sexuality and spirituality. In the second part of the book, three important topics in the modern study of sexuality are described: the feminist approach, gay studies, and male sexuality. The author uses an unusually wide range of sources, ranging from Freud to St. Teresa, and also refers to textual material from novels, poetry and films. The author suggests that sexuality in fact constitutes a highly complex complication system, by means of which human beings are able to convey a wide range of information, not simply about 'sex'.