Legal path dependence and the long arm of the religious state : sodomy provisions and gay rights across nations and over time /

This is a book about sodomy and its regulation through the ages. In addition to tracing the history of sodomy, this volume examines the perseverance of sodomy laws in the world today. There are still some 80 nations with prohibitions against sodomy, some with death penalties for committing sodomy. The authors examine path dependence as it applies to the evolution of law. The authors pinpoint the two major influences on the rights of gays, the colonial heritage (as reflected in a nation's legal system) and the influence of religion. The authors' research indicates that states limiting religious freedom are more likely to frame sodomy as a sin and use religious texts as punishment guides. On the other hand, the more democratic the polity, the more likely same-sex sexual relations will be considered acceptable, according to the nation's legal standards. Exploring the equalization of rights, the authors note that equality is critical to minority groups as political inclusion grants empowerment to them. The last 40 years have seen enormous gains in legal rights and protections of sexual minorities, resulting at least partially from the joining of legal and political processes. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --William K. Hall, Bradley University