The Intimate State: The Politics of Gender, Sex, and Family in the U.S., 1873-Present

Examines the "intimate politics" of gender norms, sex and sexuality, and family structure in American history, from the 1870s to the present, focusing on law and political conflict. Topics include laws regulating sex and marriage; social norms governing gender roles in both private and public spheres; the range of political perspectives (from feminist to conservative) on sex, sexuality, and family, and the relationship of gender to notions of nationhood and the role of the modern state. Some background in history strongly recommended.