The sexual revolution: an evocative term, but what meaning can be given
to it today? How does 'sexuality' come into being and what connections
does it have with the changes that have affected personal life on a more
general plane? In answering these questions, Anthony Giddens disputes
many of the dominant interpretations of the role of sexuality in modern
culture. The emergence of what the author calls plastic sexuality -
sexuality freed from its intrinsic relation to reproduction - is
analysed in terms of the long-term development of the modern social
order and social influences of the last few decades. Giddens argues that
the transformation of intimacy, in which women have played the major
part, holds out the possibility of a radical democratization of the
personal sphere. This book will appeal to a large general audience as
well as being essential reading for students and professionals.