This work is an attempt to begin the process of closing the theoretical gap in our knowledge about ourselves, challenging the current thought on human development and behavior. A psychosocial/biological approach is used to explore the influence of instinct on human nature. Models to assess behavior and to develop individual and socially therapeutic interventions are proposed.

This collection centres on the experiences of disabled children and young people and aims to develop theories about their childhoods. The powerful first-hand accounts by disabled children, family members and reflections by disabled adults are aimed to inspire the reader to think and, perhaps, act in positive and productive ways about all children's lives. The authors oppose the historical global imposition of problematic views of disability and childhood and offer open discussion of responsive and ethical research approaches. New ways of thinking about disabled children's childhoods in a global context demand poverty reduction and approaches that support families and communities to recognise the contributions disabled children make.

..".represents a thought-provoking contribution to the burgeoning literature on adoption, and will be a valuable resource for any who are currently working in this area, or in the fields of kinship or transnationalism in general." . Melissa Demian in JRAI "Transnational adoption is growing phenomenon and Norway has led the way in its legal and social development. In this pioneering study, Norwegian scholar, Signe Howell, brings to the subject not only anthropological insight but the personal experience of an adoptive parent. Her remarkable book is based on comprehensive research both in Norway and in the countries of origin of adopted children, throwing new light on the way that the children identify as Norwegians despite the tendency of adults to associate with their birth places...." . John R. Gillis, Rutgers University "Howell's fascinating work on transnational adoption provides real insight into its experiential, cultural, psychological and legal complexities worldwide and has important implications for our theories of kinship and personhood.... The book deserves to be read not only by anthropologists interested in kinship, but by everyone who wants to understand children and to do what is best for them, including policy-makers, developmental and child psychologists, educators and social workers." . Christina Toren, Director, C-FAR, Brunel University "The Kinning of Foreigners takes the literature on adoption into an entirely new realm by linking theories of identity and of kinship to changes in the practices and ideologies of moving children from one nation to another. ... T]he book shows how rhetoric developed in the West forms understandings of the child, of family, and of kinship throughout the world-a modern version of imperialism. Throughout her scrupulous discussion of national and international policies, laws, and competing interests, Howell never loses sight of the intimate individual aspect of adoption.... The book should be on the shelves of experts, scholars, lawyers, politicians-and, of course, any person who has ever had the exhilarating experience of kinning, or creating a relationship that permanently, transforms the self." . Judith Schachter Modell], Carnegie Mellon University Signe Howell is professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Oslo. She obtained her D.Phil. from the University of Oxford and has been a lecturer in the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh. She has published widely on various aspects of social organization, religion, ritual and kinship.

"Home Front" examines the gendered exploitation of labor in the household from a postmodern Marxian perspective. The authors of this volume use the anti-foundationalist Marxian economic theories first formulated by Stephen Resnick and Richard Wolff to explore power, domination, and exploitation in the modern household.

In November 1998, the Hawaii and Alaska electorates voted to amend their state constitutions so that same-sex marriages would not have to be recognized. Rather than end the controversy surrounding same-sex marriages, the passage of these amendments will only spur more litigation, because the referenda themselves implicate constitutional guarantees and because amending a state constitution cannot lessen federal constitutional protections. Since same-sex marriages promote many of the same individual and state interests that opposite-sex marriages do, states will be unable to justify their same-sex marriage bans if those rationales are closely examined. When challenged, the recent constitutional amendments in Hawaii and Alaska may well be held unconstitutional by the state supreme courts on federal constitutional grounds, although ultimately the United States Supreme Court will likely be asked to resolve the relevant issues.

Suppose that state same-sex marriage bans are held not to violate federal constitutional guarantees, but that one state nonetheless recognizes such unions. The other states will be permitted to refuse to recognize marriages celebrated in that state only if certain conditions have been met. Contrary view notwithstanding, the law of nature exception will not apply in this case. Further, even the Defense of Marriage Act will likely not afford states the right to refuse to recognize any and all same-sex marriages validly celebrated in sister states.

Classical political economy rests on the assumption that the market and the family are overlapping and mutually dependent realms, dominated in turn by economic men and domestic women. Brian Cooper explores the role of economic theory in 'normalizing' the family in the first half of the nineteenth century. Drawing on a wide range of sources - novels, books on etiquette and statistical sources, as well as works of economics - the book examines the impacts of these different forms on contemporary debate.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203441850

Expand your knowledgewith theories and concepts that may challenge your assumptions about sexual attraction Human sexuality can be better understood by knowing how sexual psychologies may have evolved throughout the ages. Handbook of the Evolution of Human Sexuality presents a detailed examination of human sexuality, the assumptions about concepts and terms pertaining to sexuality, and the latest theories on the evolution of human sexual attraction. Leading experts explore various aspects of evolutionary theory, with a focus on Evolutionary Psychology (EP). Discussions include mate preferences, mating behavior, mate signaling, pheromones, and same-sex attraction. This comprehensive source also presents three groundbreaking theories of the evolution of same-sex attraction. Handbook of the Evolution of Human Sexuality takes current assumptions about human sexuality, explains each in turn, and then offers fresh perspectives on conventional concepts of sexual orientation. This extensive resource provides ample evidence to argue that researchers should investigate sexual relationships based on a person's characteristics such as personal traits, complementary roles/status, sexual acts, or situational context rather than simply the sex of the partner. The book provides a discussion of evolutionary theory, evolution of human sexual culture, evolution of sexual pleasure, and detailed analysis of assumptions about sexual orientation. The text is carefully referenced. Some of the topics explored by Handbook of the Evolution of Human Sexuality include: links to non-human primate sexual behaviors and the emergence of human (sexual) nature EP research on consensual adult human sexual behaviors studies of evolved male and female mating strategies, mate preferences, and sexual psychologies a brief history of the theory of evolution ancient culture, archeology, and an overview of premodern human sexuality evolutionary history of sexual pleasure human mating strategies development of mate preferences sexual signals, such as distinctive physical features, material wealth, etc. theories of the evolution of same-sex sexual attraction and behavior Primatologist Paul Vasey's observations of female Japanese macaques and their female-female sexual encounterswith an examination of human male-male behavior evolutionary history of female-female affectional bonding with a new theory on the behavior evolutionary history of male-male sexual behaviorwith intriguing thoughts on why it happened evolutionary history of pheromones as chemical messengers much more Handbook of the Evolution of Human Sexuality is an important, thought-provoking resource perfect for evolutionary psychologists, sexologists, educators, researchers, scholars, and graduate students.

This book is the first of its kind to highlight the importance of family businesses to economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. It examines the managerial, behavioral, and strategic issues facing these companies and offers conclusive statements about their performance and influence on the region. Family businesses have been found to outperform non-family businesses in advanced industrialized economies, yet no such information exists on the importance of these companies which dominate the economic landscape of sub-Saharan Africa. Through empirical evidence and cross-country data, a team of expert contributors explore matters related to the management of family-owned businesses, such as how they evaluate employee productivity and performance, manage human resources, view governance practices and the role of women, and other sensitive issues. This is a seminal text for students and researchers in family business, entrepreneurship, strategic management, and family business owners looking to improve and advance their companies for the greater good of sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the continent.

Families of children with special health needs frequently cite difficulties in their communications with physicians and other medical professionals. Indeed, parents of high-risk, chronically ill, and disabled infants often regard interactions with health care providers as one of the most stressful parts of their early experiences with their children.

This volume was designed to present a variety of medical education approaches used to overcome this problem. After providing an overview of some of the difficulties faced by physicians and families of children with special health needs in their interactions with one another, the volume examines a number of useful medical education models. The models and viewpoints presented include those of physicians, early intervention professionals, professionals with backgrounds in education, psychology, and sociology, and parents. This volume is invaluable to those involved in designing and evaluating medical education approaches, and those developing public policy for children and the family.

Introduction to Family Processes: Diverse Families, Common Ties serves to provide an explanation of the complex workings of inner family life. The text primarily focuses on family processes and dynamics (the "inside" of families) as opposed to sociological trends, political topics, or the individual psychological approach. The text further presents the research underlying these processes and effectively presents ways to increase the positive aspects of family life. This edition has been updated to include current research and contemporary topics. The text has been divided into four parts: Foundations, Building and Establishing Families, Maintaining Families, and Change/Turbulence/Gains/Losses. While the research methods chapter still provides an introductory examination of family science research, it now includes an expanded discussion on research design, methods, and advances in the area. A new chapter, titled "Forgiveness, Kindness, Hope, and Gratitude" has been incorporated to amplify positive family processes and highlight emerging research. This edition provides added emphasis on diverse families (e.g., race/ethnicity, family structure, LGBTQIA, ability, culture, and family formation), and each chapter includes a new "Discussions in Diversity" section related to that chapter. The authors have consciously included an epilogue as a way of reflecting on what they have learned, along with what they hope to learn in the future. Aimed at courses related to family studies and family dynamics, this text provides a comprehensive review of family processes. Whether it is used for undergraduate or graduate classes, professional growth, or personal enrichment, the text assists readers in enhancing the positive aspects of family life, avoiding undesirable aspects, and more effectively managing the challenges and obstacles families face that cannot be avoided. Thus, the text holds an appeal for people who live (or will live) in families, as well as those who want to work with families.

The author presents a large comparative database derived from ethnographic and architectural research in Southeast Asia, Egypt, Mesoamerica, and other areas; proposes new methodologies for comparative analyses of houses; and critically examines existing methodologies, theories, and data. His work expands on and systematizes comparative and cross-cultural approaches to the study of households and their environments to provide a firm foundation for this emerging line of study.

When adoptions fail to happen, the effects can be devastating on children and the families who chose to adopt them What if you were an adopted child and someone tried to remove you from the family you had grown to love? In the last twenty years, changes in laws, judicial decisions, social welfare practices, and the availability of American children for adoption have led to an increase in disrupted adoptions. When Adoptions Go Wrong: Psychological and Legal Issues of Adoption Disruption examines the psychological and forensic aspects of adoption with an emphasis on how negative events can affect children and the families that choose to adopt themand how you can prevent those events from happening. When Adoptions Go Wrong is a comprehensive resource on the causes of interrupted adoptions, including changing profiles of adoptive parents who have new reasons for wanting to adopt. With the help of detailed case examples, this powerful book explores the impact of disruptions on the children, the legal issues of determining in whose best interests decisions are made, and possible methods of reducing the negative affects of those decisions on the children. It also stresses how important it is, for the professionals involved, to be aware of child development in the adoption process. Topics discussed in When Adoptions Go Wrong include: children's rights legal rights of gays to adopt tribal rights (Native Americans) open adoption individual state laws concerning adoption the media's coverage of child custody cases types of adoption the Baby Jessica case the Evan Scott case the Internet Twins inadequate social services family court and much more When Adoptions Go Wrong also suggests legislative measures to create uniformity in the way states handle adoption issues to help natural and adoptive parents in making difficult decisions. The book is invaluable for psychologists, judges and lawyers, social workers, and prospective adoptive parents.

This study presents a theoretical and practical discussion of the changes that have occurred between men and women and how the sexes relate to one another from social, political, and ethical perspectives. Not only do men and women reflect different gender roles through communication, but they are also impacted by communication about gender, especially from the media. Gender differences in communication have gained political importance due to the increasingly relevant issues of sexual harassment and political correctness. These social and political changes have influenced our value systems and have given the study of gendered communication an ethical importance. Payne argues that religious ideology is an important aspect of gendered development and that biological, psychological, social, and cultural phenomena also affect sex roles.

This volume will appeal to scholars and students in the communications disciplines as well as psychologists and sociologists. Organized around three major themes--the construction of the gendered self, the differences between men and women as they relate to one another through language, power, and nonverbal communication, and the effects of gendered communication in leadership and the media--this work covers much ground on the topic of communication between the sexes.

This collection of essays discusses Jews in pornography and the adult film industry, sexual propaganda, Woody Allen, homosexuality and Judaism, lesbian Yiddish poetry, the Jewish American Princess, sex and the British novel, and more.

One woman's secret journal completely changes her marriage in this hilarious and biting memoir--the inspiration for the Netflix Original Series SEX/LIFE. School psychologists aren't supposed to write books about sex. Doing so would be considered "unethical" and "a fireable offense." Lucky for you, ethics was never my strong suit. Sex/Life: 44 Chapters About 4 Men is a laugh-out-loud funny and brutally honest look at female sexuality, as told through the razor-sharp lens of domesticated bad girl BB Easton. No one and nothing is off limits as BB revisits the ex-boyfriends--a sadistic tattoo artist, a punk rock parolee, and a heavy metal bass player--that led her to finally find true love with a straight-laced, drop-dead-gorgeous . . . accountant. After settling down and starting a family with her perfectly vanilla "husbot," Ken, BB finds herself longing for the reckless passion she had in her youth. She begins to write about these escapades in a secret journal, just for fun, but when Ken starts to act out the words on the pages, BB realizes that she might have stumbled upon the holy grail of behavior modification techniques. The psychological dance that ensues is nothing short of hilarious as BB wields her journal like a blowtorch, trying to light a fire under her cold, distant partner. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but in the end, BB learns that the man she was trying so hard to change was perfect for her all along. To view a comprehensive content warning, please visit the author's website.

"Look There in the playground -- with the stroller and diaper bag It's Superdad Yes, it's Superdad--the most involved fathers in American history. And with this careful, compassionate and also critical group portrait, Gayle Kaufman has finally told their story. If you think men aren't changing--or if you think they somehow get neutered if they are changing--you need to read this book."--Michael Kimmel, author of Guyland In an age when fathers are spending more time with their children than at any other point in the past, men are also facing unprecedented levels of work-family conflict. How do fathers balance their two most important roles--that of father and that of worker? In Superdads, Gayle Kaufman captures the real voices of fathers themselves as they talk about their struggles with balancing work and family life. Through in-depth interviews with a diverse group of men, Kaufman introduces the concept of "superdads," a group of fathers who stand out by making significant changes to their work lives in order to accommodate their families. They are nothing like their fathers, "old dads" who focus on their traditional role as breadwinner, or even some of their peers, so-called "new dads" who work around the increasing demands of their paternal roles without really bucking the system. In taking their family life in a completely new direction, these superdads challenge the way we think about long-held assumptions about men's role in the family unit. Thought-provoking and heartfelt, Superdads provides an overview of an emerging trend in fatherhood and the policy solutions that may help support its growth, pointing the way toward a future society with a more feasible approach to the work-family divide.Gayle Kaufmanis Professor of Sociology at Davidson College in North Carolina.

This three-volume collection focuses on writings by and about cross-dressing women from the early nineteenth century up until the beginning of World War II. In so doing, it provides a new perspective on one of the most decisive periods in the history of feminism.

The anthology brings together for the first time key texts from the sexological and the literary realms, as well as newspaper articles, letters and photographs, which document the phenomenon of cross-dressing women in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century British culture. The collection also includes translations from European texts that impacted on British understandings of cross-dressing during this time.

A fascinating work, each of the volumes is introduced separately with a critical essay, and is divided thematically to include sections devoted to theories, fictions and fictionalisations, and lives. Together, these volumes make available important source material for the history of feminism.

Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2015 Sex in China introduces readers to some of the dramatic shifts that have taken place in Chinese sexual behaviours and attitudes, and public discussions of sex, since the 1980s. The book explores what it means to talk about 'sex' in present-day China, where sex and sexuality are more and more visible in everyday life. Elaine Jeffreys and Haiqing Yu situate China's changing sexual culture, and how it is governed, in the socio-political history of the People's Republic of China. They demonstrate that Chinese governmental authorities and policies do not set out strictly to repress 'sex'; they also create spaces for the emergence of new sexual subjects and subjectivities. They discuss the complexities surrounding the ongoing explosion of commentary on sex and sexuality in the PRC, and the emergence of new sexual behaviours and mores. Sex in China offers clear, critical coverage of sex-related issues that are a focus of public concern and debate in China - chapters focus on sex studies; marriage and family planning; youth and sex(iness); gay, lesbian and queer discourses and identities; commercial sex; and HIV/AIDS. This book will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars both of modern China and of sex and sexualities, who wish to understand the role that 'sex' plays in contemporary China.

When adoptions fail to happen, the effects can be devastating on children and the families who chose to adopt them What if you were an adopted child and someone tried to remove you from the family you had grown to love? In the last twenty years, changes in laws, judicial decisions, social welfare practices, and the availability of American children for adoption have led to an increase in disrupted adoptions. When Adoptions Go Wrong: Psychological and Legal Issues of Adoption Disruption examines the psychological and forensic aspects of adoption with an emphasis on how negative events can affect children and the families that choose to adopt themand how you can prevent those events from happening. When Adoptions Go Wrong is a comprehensive resource on the causes of interrupted adoptions, including changing profiles of adoptive parents who have new reasons for wanting to adopt. With the help of detailed case examples, this powerful book explores the impact of disruptions on the children, the legal issues of determining in whose best interests decisions are made, and possible methods of reducing the negative affects of those decisions on the children. It also stresses how important it is, for the professionals involved, to be aware of child development in the adoption process. Topics discussed in When Adoptions Go Wrong include: children's rights legal rights of gays to adopt tribal rights (Native Americans) open adoption individual state laws concerning adoption the media's coverage of child custody cases types of adoption the Baby Jessica case the Evan Scott case the Internet Twins inadequate social services family court and much more When Adoptions Go Wrong also suggests legislative measures to create uniformity in the way states handle adoption issues to help natural and adoptive parents in making difficult decisions. The book is invaluable for psychologists, judges and lawyers, social workers, and prospective adoptive parents.

Much has been made of the complex social arrangements that girls and women navigate, but little scholarly or popular attention has focused on what friendship means to men. Drawing on in-depth interviews with nearly 400 men, therapist and researcher Geoffrey L. Greif takes readers on a guided tour of male friendships, explaining what makes them work, why they are vital to the health of individuals and communities, and how to build the kinds of friendships that can lead to longer and happier lives. Another 120 conversations with women help map the differences in what men and women seek from friendships and what, if anything, men can learn from women's relationships. The guiding feature of the book is Greif's typology of male friendships: he dispels the myth that men don't have friends, showing that men have must, trust, just,and rust friends. A must friend is the best friend a man absolutely must call with earthshaking news. A trust friend is liked and trusted but not necessarily held as close as a must friend. Just friends are casual acquaintances, while rust friends have a long history together and can drift in and out of each other's lives, essentially picking up where they last left off. Understanding the role each of these types of friends play across men's lives reveals fascinating developmental patterns, such as how men cope with stress and conflict, how they seek and offer help, how notions of masculinity shape their relationships (platonic and romantic), and how their friends can keep them active and happy. Through the lively words of men themselves, and detailed profiles of men from their twenties to their nineties, readers may be surprised to find what friendships offer men-as well as their families and communities-and are sure to learn what makes their own relationships tick.

Beginning in the early nineteenth century, Cubans migrated to New York City to organize and protest against Spanish colonial rule. While revolutionary wars raged in Cuba, expatriates envisioned, dissected, and redefined meanings of independence and nationhood. An underlying element was the concept of Cubanidad, a shared sense of what it meant to be Cuban. Deeply influenced by discussions of slavery, freedom, masculinity, and United States imperialism, the question of what and who constituted "being Cuban" remained in flux and often, suspect. The first book to explore Cuban racial and sexual politics in New York during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Suspect Freedoms chronicles the largely unexamined and often forgotten history of more than a hundred years of Cuban exile, migration, diaspora, and community formation. Nancy Raquel Mirabal delves into the rich cache of primary sources, archival documents, literary texts, club records, newspapers, photographs, and oral histories to write what Michel Rolph Trouillot has termed an "unthinkable history." Situating this pivotal era within larger theoretical discussions of potential, future, visibility, and belonging, Mirabal shows how these transformations complicated meanings of territoriality, gender, race, power, and labor. She argues that slavery, nation, and the fear that Cuba would become "another Haiti" were critical in the making of early diasporic Cubanidades, and documents how, by the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Afro-Cubans were authors of their own experiences; organizing movements, publishing texts, and establishing important political, revolutionary, and social clubs. Meticulously documented and deftly crafted, Suspect Freedoms unravels a nuanced and vital history.

Find out what it's like to be young, African-American . . . and a father Voices of African-American Teen Fathers is an insightful look at adolescent pregnancy and parenthood through the eyes of fathers aged 14 to 19. This unique book features candid interviews with thirty teens who talk about doing what I got to dohandling their responsibilities as best they can given their perceptions, limitations, and life experiences. Teens talk about how and why they became fathers, how they handle being a parent, their perceptions of fatherhood, the relationships they have with their parents and the mothers of their children, and how they deal with the everyday struggles, demands, and concerns they face. Nearly one million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant each year in the United States and most of the available research on adolescent parenthood focused on them. We know little about African-American adolescent fathers or about their perspectives on the cultural and socioeconomic conditions that define their experience. Voices of African-American Teen Fathers provides an understanding of these young fathers on their own terms and suggests theoretical frameworks, assessment tools, and effective interventions to develop a plan of action to help African-American adolescent fathers fulfill their roles. Helpful appendixes, including an interview guide and biographies of the particpants, are included, as are six tables that make complex information easy to access and understand. Voices of African-American Teen Fathers examines tough issues, including: intimate, amicable, or antagonistic relationships with their children's mothers relationships with their own mothers and fathers racism and discrimination child support loss of independence transportation problems drugs socioeconomic issues and much more Voices of African-American Teen Fathers is an invaluable resource for counselors, family educators, social service organizations, community practitioners, and social scientists.

Gain a better understanding of the special therapeutic issues and needs of GLBT families In terms of research, GLBT families constitute a neglected segment of society. Gender and sexual orientation can make the issues in family studies even more difficult to work through. An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies tackles a challenging research topic by presenting noted experts examining the latest information on the newest type of family studiesGLBT families. This groundbreaking text explores a wide range of unique problems faced by nontraditional families, as well as issues common to traditional families that need to be approached with a GLBT perspective. Though homophobia and heterosexism constantly influence GLBT families, these factors do not necessarily overwhelm the dynamic of their basic family unit. Issues present in many traditional families are found when researching GLBT families. An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies spotlights the issues, research, and future trends that provide a foundation for the study of GLBT families. This breakthrough volume focuses not only on the obvious unique factors within GLBT families, but also on the elements encountered within families that are present regardless of sexual orientation and gender, such as physical and emotional abuse. Expert contributors present research findings on family pattern issues relating to parent-child relationships, child development, sibling relationships, family structure, intimate relationships, stepfamilies, alternative family structures, and extended family relationships. Each chapter is extensively referenced and offers possibilities for further research. An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies discusses family studies topics such as: the impact of the family of origin life course perspective transgender identity issues and the family when a spouse comes out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual a study of lesbian couples adapting genogram techniques in therapy research comparing siblings of different sexual orientations studies of patterns of responses to parental reactions to learning their offspring are gay, lesbian, or bisexual the polyamory structure to some gay men's familial relationships same-sex marriages and legalized relationships gay male couples' roles in today's society the impact of heterosexism on working with same-sex relationships research on long-term lesbian couples An Introduction to GLBT Family Studies is a valuable reference for academic researchers in family studies, marriage and family therapy, social work, and counseling; educators, upper division undergraduate and graduate students; and anyone interested in better understanding GLBT family studies.

Make your marriage and family programs more relevant by making them cross-culturally sensitive International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools offers a collection of innovative ideas and resources for educators who wish to enhance the international content of their human development and family science curriculum. Contributors share their experiences of transforming department commitments, modifying existing and/or creating new courses, developing stimulating exercises and projects, capitalizing on existing faculty development programs to enhance educators' own international understanding, partnering with universities overseas, and utilizing existing institutional structures to incorporate international study-abroad opportunities and internships for students. The book presents teaching tools and techniques, specific resources, and theoretical models for use in family studies, human development, and social science programs. International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools promotes cross-cultural competence and global understandingessential ingredients for the success of future family professionals. The book is devoted to fostering knowledge and skills critical for breaking down barriers and expanding cultural knowledge in an effort to better prepare students to work with ethnically and culturally diverse families. International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools examines: planning, implementing, and evaluating an innovative diversity curriculum knowledge and skills needed to work effectively with ethnically and culturally diverse families teaching techniques that can be incorporated in the classroom to enhance greater cultural understanding the use of student group presentations, technology, and books projects to teach about culturally diverse families issues of cultural competence, cultural sensitivity, and respect for diversity experiential opportunities abroad for students and faculty and much more International Family Studies: Developing Curricula and Teaching Tools is an essential resource for educators training the next generation of family professionals.

A book that dispels the myths about those who prefer to go beyond vanilla sex Sadomasochism: Powerful Pleasures is a comprehensive exploration of the entire sexual subculture that lies on the cutting edge of society. The mental health professions and society have marginalized people who practice sadomasochism (SM).This interdisciplinary collection dispels myths surrounding SM, bringing together leading scholars from the fields of sexology, psychology, sociology, and medicine, alongside queer studies and sexual minority advocacy. Experts such as Thomas S. Weinberg, PhD, Susan Wright, MA, Margaret Nichols, PhD, Odd Reiersol, PhD, Svein Skeid, Rebecca F. Plante, PhD, Niklas Nordling, MPsych, and N. Kenneth Sandnabba, PhD, among other stellar authorities, reveal research findings, clinical data, and critical thinking about sexuality that lies beyond vanilla. To gain a broader understanding of human sexuality, the study of SM is crucial for what it reveals about us as sexual beings. The text discusses the results of research into practitioners' behaviors and perspectives, the prevalence of SM behaviors in today's culture, and stresses the need for greater tolerance and understanding. The realization of SM desires and their acceptance are explored in detail. This unflinching look at the world and the people of SM will guide scholars and lay people alike into a more sensitive, sex-friendly viewpoint of the people society calls kinky. Sadomasochism: Powerful Pleasures answers questions such as: What is the nature of SM relationships? What are the values and motives of SM participants? How do mental health professionals regard and treat SM practitioners? Should sadomasochism continue to be classified as a mental illness? What is the legal status of SM and what are the consequences of discrimination against SM practitioners? Does increasing visibility of SM imagery decrease stigma or create added problems? What can ordinary lovers learn from those we have marginalized about the farther reaches of human erotic potential? Sadomasochism: Powerful Pleasures is valuable, insightful reading for mental health professionals, students, sex educators, sex counselors, sex therapists, sex researchers, sexual health workers, sociologists, sexual minority groups, and anyone interested in learning more about the sexual pleasures that lie beyond the traditional.