What is Sexual Capital?
English world rights (Polity), Chinese simplex rights (Ginkgo (Shanghai) Book Co. / Post Wave), France (Seuil), Sweden (Daidalos), Korea (HanulPlus), Greece (Ekdoseis tou Eikostou Protou)
Spanish edition available through Herder, Italian edition available through Castelvecchi
The Political Economy of Sexuality
»The sphere of sexuality is barely distinguishable from the sphere of production anymore.«
It is not nature that determines our ideas about sexuality, but society. Whereas it was religion that regulated sex in the past, today it is the economy. No wonder, then, that »sexual« or »erotic capital« has become a common metaphor in sociology, gender studies, sexology and even in everyday language to describe the motives and consequences of practices to increase sexual attractiveness, for example.
In this concise book, enriched with numerous...
It is not nature that determines our ideas about sexuality, but society. Whereas it was religion that regulated sex in the past, today it is the economy. No wonder, then, that »sexual« or »erotic capital« has become a common metaphor in sociology, gender studies, sexology and even in everyday language to describe the motives and consequences of practices to increase sexual attractiveness, for example.
In this concise book, enriched with numerous examples, Dana Kaplan and Eva Illouz defend the concept of sexual capital as an analytical category, but make it more nuanced, while also freeing it from gender clichés and the simplifications of rationalism and identity politics.
They show that sexual capital can take different, historically conditioned forms, which at times also coexist. Their main focus is on the specifics of neoliberal sexuality, which is accompanied by its very own kind of sexual capital.This particular form of sexual capital has long since been circulating not only in the sphere of private intimate relations, but throughout the entire sphere of capitalist reproduction. From this perspective, the question of class and gender hierarchies thus appears in a new light.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Sex and sociological metaphors
2. Sexual freedom and sexual capital
3. What is sexual capital?
4. Forms of sexual capital: The four categories
5. Conclusion
»What is Sexual Capital? sets up an ambitious query and offers bold, illuminating answers. With historical evidence and incisive theoretical logic, Dana Kaplan and Eva Illouz uncover the intricate neoliberal mingling of sexuality, economic worth, and social inequality. A compelling book that will inspire future research.« Viviana A. Zelizer, Princeton University
»Illouz and Kaplan note an interesting realisation: the current discussion on sexual identities overlooks an important problem – namely the fact that the ability to benefit from sexual capital unequally distributed across society. Self-employed, creative professions in particular are subject to the performance pressure of sexual capital. A theory, therefore, that every freelance artist should engage with for their own benefit!« Sarah Pines, Die literarische Welt
»Lucidly the book analyses how little sexuality has to do with us and how much it has to do with society.« Silke Weber, DIE ZEIT
»In their concise book, enriched with numerous examples, Dana Kaplan and Eva Illouz defend the concept of sexual capital as an analytical category, but make it more complex while freeig it from gender clichés and rationalist and identity-political short-cuts.« Jamal Tuschick, der Freitag
»Clear, succinct, exciting.« Julia Hubernagel, taz am wochenende
»Dana Kaplan and Eva Illouz have written a remarkable book on a highly topical subject that also illuminates the abysses of supposedly enlightened positions. It will undoubtedly provoke discussion.« Leander Scholz, Deutschlandfunk
»What is Sexual Capital? sets up an ambitious query and offers bold, illuminating answers. With historical evidence and incisive theoretical logic, Dana Kaplan and Eva Illouz uncover the intricate neoliberal mingling of sexuality, economic worth, and social inequality. A...
DISCOVER
Eva Illouz Wins Aby Warburg Prize 2024
Illouz has been awarded for her work as the preeminent sociologist of the emtions.Eva Illouz Awarded the Frank Schirrmacher Prize 2024
Eva Illouz has been awarded for her contributions to our understanding of the present.Just published: Suhrkamp Authors Around the World – July 2023, issue 2
We are delighted to present to you our latest arrivals!DISCOVER
Eva Illouz Wins Aby Warburg Prize 2024
Illouz has been awarded for her work as the preeminent sociologist of the emtions.Eva Illouz Awarded the Frank Schirrmacher Prize 2024
Eva Illouz has been awarded for her contributions to our understanding of the present.Just published: Suhrkamp Authors Around the World – July 2023, issue 2
We are delighted to present to you our latest arrivals!Persons
Dana Kaplan
Eva Illouz
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