2015 ASA Annual Meeting
Chicago, IL
Sex usually occurs in private and is seen as deeply personal, yet it is also profoundly social. Cultural norms and social institutions such as religion, education, mass media, law, and the military all affect what we do sexually with whom. These social forces also affect what is seen as beyond the bounds of legitimacy. Indeed, contemporary politics are full of contentious debates about abortion, sex education, same-sex marriage, pornography, sex work, sexual harassment, systematic rape as a weapon in wars, and female genital cutting.
Given the importance of sexuality in people’s lives, and its relevance to many areas of sociology, President Paula England selected it as the theme for the 2015 annual meeting of the ASA.
