21st Century Sexualities - Contemporary Anthology Gilbert

In this review of 21st Century Sexualities the reviewer finds a wide-ranging anthology best suited to students and researchers looking for a contemporary, interdisciplinary survey of American sexualities; the single biggest reason to buy is its collection of more than fifty timely, accessible contributions that map current controversies and methods across sexual education, health, rights and globalization. This edition is presented as a classroom-friendly supplement with a clear editorial overview that helps readers navigate diverse disciplinary approaches.

Key Features

• Comprehensive anthology: Over fifty contributions give breadth and multiple perspectives useful for teaching and comparative reading across disciplines.
• Editorial overview: A superb opening essay orients students and instructors to the field and frames the volume's debates and methodologies.
• Timely topics: The collection incorporates cutting-edge controversies and contemporary debates that reflect twenty-first century sexualities.
• Interdisciplinary reach: Content relevant to anthropology, sociology, gender and sexuality studies and politics supports cross-course use and research references.
• Accessible style: Contributions are described as timely and accessible, making complex theory and methods approachable for a range of students.

Who It's For

This book is especially useful for undergraduate and graduate students looking for a single-volume introduction to contemporary American sexualities, and for instructors who want a curated set of readings to complement lectures or seminar discussions. Researchers seeking qualitative and theoretical perspectives across disciplines will find the varied essays useful as entry points or supplemental references.

Those who want a narrowly focused monograph on a single theoretical perspective or a detailed empirical study of one population might look elsewhere, since the anthology format emphasizes breadth and synthesis rather than deep single-study detail.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Wide-ranging selection provides multiple perspectives useful for teaching and comparative work.
• Editorial overview helps orient readers new to the field and clarifies connections among contributions.
• Accessible entries make advanced topics approachable for students across levels.

Cons

• The anthology format means individual chapters vary in depth and a reader seeking exhaustive empirical detail on one subject may need to consult original studies.

Specifications

Our Verdict

21st Century Sexualities is a valuable, good-value anthology for courses and researchers who need a curated introduction to current debates in American sexuality. Its editorial overview and accessible contributions make it particularly useful as a classroom supplement and as a starting point for interdisciplinary research, though readers seeking deep single-study detail should supplement it with focused monographs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book suitable for undergraduate courses?
Yes. The accessible contributions and editorial overview make it well suited as a course supplement for undergraduates.

Does it focus on a single discipline?
No. The anthology is explicitly interdisciplinary, with material relevant to anthropology, sociology, gender studies and politics.

Will it provide in-depth empirical studies?
Not typically; the volume emphasizes breadth and synthesis, so use it alongside detailed empirical monographs for deep case studies.