Sex, Risk, and Society: When Is Sex Dangerous? (Explanations in the Social Sciences, 1)

When is sex abnormal and when is it dangerous? A multi-disciplinary approach that includes sociology, anthropology, history, and philosophy provides an understanding of how cultural norms have shifted over time and the implications of these shifts. Proposed definitions of “abnormal” and “dangerous” and their impact on public policies and practices are evaluated, as are our contemporary assumptions about sex and sexuality and the consequences of those assumptions. This should also serve as a toolkit for how to answer questions about sexuality such that readers can apply this model as new questions and social concerns about sex arise in the future.

Sarah H. Pollock is an assistant professor of sociology at Texas A&M University-San Antonio. She earned her PhD in sociology from Temple University, specializing in gender and sexualities. Her dissertation research examined the gendered embodiment of health and fitness. She also has been a lecturer at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she won the College of Liberal Arts Award for Outstanding Teaching by a Full-Time Lecturer.