Theoretical perspectives on sexual difference /

Without hesitation, this reviewer judges Rhode's book as the best ever written on the issues of sex, gender, and sex differences. No fewer than 21 brilliant scholars, ranging from N.Chodorow to E.B. Freedman, pose "cutting edge" questions concerning theory, research, philosophy, ethics, history, biology, ethology, social sciences, law, politics, and social policy concerning sexual differences. All of the authors raise, delineate, and defend often extremely complex issues, and each author fosters and focuses debate on most of the issues pertinent to current feminist scholarship. Although this book addresses current issues, it will undoubtedly be cited by researchers and theorists for years to come. It raises issues previously ignored and offers fresh perspectives on old debates. All readers will discover something in this volume to which they will object, but those objections will insure more precision in arguments regularly entertained by feminists. All of the authors write at a level that is likely to be decipherable and understandable only to professionals, faculty, and advanced students. Nonetheless, this book should unquestionably be in every library with any holdings on women's studies, feminist scholarship, social sciences of sex roles and sex differences, and legal studies. -A. C. Downs, University of Houston--Clear Lake