Sex and Manners is dazzling book that examines changes in American, Dutch, English and German manners books regarding the changing relationship between men and women. It examines the disappearance of rules for chaperonage and the rise of new codes for public transport, public dances, courting, dates and the work place. This original and thought-provoking book: provides empirical evidence showing in detail how the balance of power between the sexes has increased in women's favour; monitors the changes in codes regarding sexuality; focuses on general trends as well as on national differences, particularly between the general trends in the USA and Europe; reports changing answers to the question of the balance between the longing for sexual gratification and the longing for enduring intimacy. This is a major work of great accomplishment combining historical material with sociological, psychological and cultural analysis of a high order.
Cas Wouters is a senior lecturer at the Institute of General Social Sciences at Utrecht University.
Introduction Perspective and Contents An Overview On Regimes of Manners and Emotions Manners and the Modelling Function of Good Societies Confined to the Drawing Room Dancing Fury To Pay or Be Paid For? Going to Work Manners at Work Developments in Courting Regimes Introduction Chaperonage and the Courting Regime in England Chaperonage and the Courting Regime in Germany Chaperonage and the Courting Regime in the Netherlands Chaperonage in the USA Chaperonage Compared Some National Differences and General Trends The American Dating Regime Courting Regimes Compared Some National Differences and General Trends The Lust Balance of Sex and Love Since the Sexual Revolution Fuck Romance! The Sexual Revolution From 'Sexual Liberation' to `Sexual Oppression' The Anti-Pornography Movement What is the Price of Sex? Revival of Lust The Lust and Love Revival International Comparisons, Theoretical Interpretations, and Regularities in Processes of Emancipation and Integration From a Comparative Perspective Developments in Europe and in the USA Balancing The Lust Balance and the Balance of Power, the Balance of Controls, and the We-I Balance Regularities in Processes of Emancipation and Integration Lust Anxiety Social and Sexual Fear of 'Heights' and 'Depths' Three Types Trend-followers, Radicals and Moderates Phases in Processes of Emancipation, Accommodation and Integration Intensified Tugs-of-War and Ambivalence
`This is a highly original and in many ways brilliant text. It is a model of how historical/process sociological research ought to be conducted and written-up. The author's subtle blending of theory and data is outstanding' - Eric Dunning, Professor of Sociology, University of Leicester "Wouters' work is useful because of its comparative, empirical, synthetic and systematic approach. He is able to develop a convincing theory of change on the basis of clear patterns of similarity and difference in the different nations he examines. His systematic and empirical approach- he starts with evidence and ends with theory as opposed to the other way around- will make it easier for other to evaluate and use his work. " -- C. Dallett Hemphill
