Synopses & Reviews
Over the past 15 years much pioneering work has been done on the social demography of young men's sexual activities, contraceptive use, and fertility experiences. But how do men develop and manage their identities in these areas?
In Sex, Men, and Babies, William Marsiglio and Sally Hutchinson provide a compelling and insightful portrait of young men who are capable of anticipating, creating, and fathering human life. Based on in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of 70 single men aged 16-30, this is the most comprehensive, qualitative study of its kind. Through intimate stories and self-reflections, these men talk about sex, romance, relationships, birth control, pregnancies, miscarriages, abortions, visions of fathering, and other issues related to men's self-awareness, and the many ways they construct, explain, and change their identities as potential fathers. The interviews also provide valuable insights about how young men experience responsiblities associated with sex and the full range of procreative events.
Accessibly written for a wide audience and raising a host of issues relevant to debates about unplanned pregnancy, childbearing among teens and young adults, and women's and children's well-being, Sex, Men, and Babies is the fullest account available today on how young men conceptualize themselves as procreative beings. Lessons from this study can inform interventions designed to encourage young men to be more aware of their abilities and responsiblities in making babies.
Review
"A more nuanced and embedded analysis of men's experiences of procreation than we have ever had. One can no longer speak of fatherhood as separate from the decisions about contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction." - Michael Kimmel, State University of New York, Stony Brook
Review
"Sex, Men, and Babies is a significant contribution to a surprisingly under-researched area: the meaning and place of fathering in the lives of young men. It is a valuable contribution to men's studies, to gender studies, and to the sociology of the family."
"A more nuanced and embedded analysis of men's experiences of procreation than we have ever had. One can no longer speak of fatherhood as separate from the decisions about contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction."
"Readers unfamiliar with the burgeoning literature on the neglected importance of fatherhood will find this study a helpful beginning point."
"A more nuanced and embedded analysis of men's experiences of procreation than we have ever had. One can no longer speak of fatherhood as separate from the decisions about contraception, pregnancy, and reproduction."
Synopsis
This accessibly written collaboration between a sociologist and a nursing teacher is a full account of how young men conceptualize fatherhood.
Synopsis
What is a history of the English language? To a native speaker, the answer to this question might seem obvious; the story, from beginning to end, of the language that we use every day. But a history of the English language raises the prickly question of what one means by English. Who speaks “true” English, and are these speakers British, American, Scottish, or Australian, or something else entirely? Is the history of English the history of a written language, or must such an inquiry contend with the divergent dialects and accents of English speakers around the world?
In A History of the English Language, N. F. Blake abandons the traditional framework that divides history into three major periods: Old English, Middle English, and Modern English, arguing that these periods were originally chosen because of their political, as opposed to linguistic, significance. Dating the emergence of the ideal of a unified English language to the reign of King Alfred, Blake illustrates the way in which, since its origin, the concept of English has been largely a political and educational one. Detailing the influence that many parent languages — West Saxon, Latin, and French, to name a few, had on the emerging tongue, Blake brings insight into the dynamic role that other languages continue to play in shaping English.
About the Author
William Marsiglio, Professor of Sociology at the University of Florida, has written extensively on the social psychology of men's sexuality, fertility, and fatherhood. His most recent books include
Procreative Man and
Fatherhood: Contemporary Theory, Research, and Social Policy.
Sally Hutchinson, Professor of Nursing at the University of Florida, teaches qualitative methods to doctoral students and has published more than 60 articles on the method or product of qualitative health research. As an international speaker and consultant in qualitative research, she has worked in Brazil, Australia, Egypt, Canada, Scandinavia, and East Africa.