Global Transformations and Intimate Relations in the 21st Century: Social Science Research on Sexuality and the Emergence of Sexual Health and Sexual Rights Frameworks

Abstract

This article tracks the conjunction between the social, cultural, political, and economic changes taking place on a global level and the shift in sexuality research from primarily biomedical and behavioral concerns to those of rights and social justice. Particular attention is paid to how transnational public health and human rights discourses, and social movements concerned with gender inequality and the oppression of sexual minorities, have influenced the field of sexuality research. This influence is especially clear in the emergence of the concepts of sexual health and sexual rights, which have enabled researchers to draw clear connections between highly localized phenomena and transnational systems. The importance of rights-based approaches, in particular, has supported an explicit politicization of research and the engagement of researchers in social justice causes. To illustrate the interests and approach of contemporary sexuality research, the article includes a review of recent literature on sex trafficking and same-sex marriage. These cases are used to outline the negative and positive use of rights-the former a means to control harm and the latter a means to advance freedoms. Addressing the tension between these two strategies is a core challenge for the field of sexuality research.

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