HIS 311: History of American Sexuality: Primary Sources

Over time, sexuality in America has changed dramatically. Frequently redefined and often subject to different systems of regulation, it has been used as a means of control; it has been a way to understand ourselves and others; and it has been at the center of fierce political storms, including some of the most crucial changes in civil rights in the last decade. Edited by Thomas A. Foster, Documenting Intimate Matters features seventy-two documents that collectively highlight the broad diversity inherent in the history of American sexuality.   Complementing the third edition of Intimate Matters, by John D’Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman—often hailed as the definitive survey of sexual history in America—the multiple narratives presented by these documents reveal the complexity of this subject in US history. The historical moments captured in this volume will show that, contrary to popular misconception, the history of sexuality is not a simple story of increased freedoms and sexual liberation, but an ongoing struggle between change and continuity.

What is population history about? It's about birth rates, migration, and economies. It's about families, women, and babies. It is about agricultural production, military conflict, colonies, and race. In short, population history is the human story. This book shows that population issuesOConumbers of people, how to feed them, their employment, racial makeup, intelligence, health, sexual behavior, and reproductionOCohave concerned authorities for centuries. The primary documents in this volume illustrate those concerns from the mid-18th century to the present. Provided is background information on each document and coverage of a variety of population perspectives.All of the concerns illustrated in this volume have helped to mold population policy. From the threat of a population explosion, familiar to those growing up in the 1960s, to birth control, women's rights, and lawmakers' desires to address social ills, this book covers a wide spectrum of issues. Included is a variety of documents, such as treatises, essays, speeches, articles, and passages from books. Tobin's introductory commentary provides a framework for the documents, pointing to their intent and significance. This is the only comprehensive source of documents on population, making it a valuable resource for both professional and armchair historians."