Review by Choice Review
This set is strongly informed by its editor in chief's multidisciplinary background--Malti-Douglas holds appointments in gender studies, comparative literature, and the law school at Indiana University, Bloomington. The work's interdisciplinary emphasis means that it will complement other reference works that approach gender and sexuality from a scientific or medical perspective; even entries on topics such as artificial insemination focus more on the subject matter's sociological aspects than on scientific details. Entries cover topics that are specific to gender and sexuality, and also those that are more general in nature but have relevance to this area of focus. The signed entries are arranged alphabetically; additional entry points include a thematic outline and an extensive index. A preface by Ruth Westheimer sets the tone for an open-minded, barrier-free exploration of gender and sexuality. Although expensive, this encyclopedia readily can serve a role not only as an academic reference source but also as a resource for users exploring gender and sexuality in a personal context. Its well-written entries and many photographs will appeal to readers ranging from high school students to university faculty. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. H. Corbett Northeastern University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Today, print and online resources that blur or offer a new perspective on sex and gender abound. Recent debates and scholarship focused on sex and gender illustrate, first, that gendered discourse in both the public and private domains is most assuredly alive and well in the first decade of the twenty-first century, and, second, that the concepts of sex and gender are inherently interdisciplinary, drawing on anthropology, biology, cultural studies, history, linguistics, literature, political science, psychology, and sociology. Undergraduates in these fields, as well as advanced high-school students and educated general readers, need look no further than this landmark work to explore, examine, and evaluate the various concepts of sex and gender that impact nearly every area of human interaction and activity. Scope and contents, along with the parameters of the encyclopedia, are covered in a carefully written introduction. The variety of entries and the breadth of subjects treated in this encyclopedia are two of the many notable features of the work. Readers will find highly readable and well-written articles on body parts, the biology of sex, ancient cultures, mass media, diseases, film, gender roles, literature, religion, reproduction, sex practices, and sexual preferences. This list represents but a few of the 33 broad themes presented in the Thematic Outline and covered within these pages. Coverage within each theme is consistently broad. Under Commerce and Crime, for example, are entries on Call girls, Courtesans, Date rape drugs, Rent boys, Sex crimes, Sex toys, Sex tourism, and Trannie whore, to name just a few. Under Politics there are entries for, among others, Colonialism, Domestic violence, Ecofeminism, Espionage, Fascism, Lewinsky affair, and Marie Antoinette. The alphabetic arrangement of the encyclopedia along with a cumulative, nearly 100-page index; a thematic outline; and cross-references facilitates access to more than 730 entries written by contributors from 19 countries and reviewed by an editorial board of their peers. Each signed entry contains a bibliography, and some 250 photos and illustrations enhance and enrich the text. Bringing together a remarkable array of material, this set, which appears to be without competition, will no doubt succeed in providing information but also in creating dialogue around issues of sex and gender. It is recommended without reserve for large public and academic libraries. Also available as an e-book.--Watstein, Sarah Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
The study of sexual behavior predates gender studies, but relatively few reference works encompass both sexual behavior and gender issues; nearly all of those resources have been published in the 21st century. Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender was designed in response to the "need among members of the educated general public for a reliable, dispassionate guide to the minefields of sex and gender." Broad in scope, it covers the interaction between sex-both in the sense of the biological distinction and in the sense of reproduction-and gender and their relationship with society and culture. The fields of psychology, sociology, biology, religion, and history are all represented. Following famous sex therapist Ruth Westheimer's preface and an introduction by editor Malti-Douglas (gender studies, Indiana Univ.), the 730 signed alphabetical entries run between several hundred and several thousand words in length and range from sexually transmitted diseases to witchcraft, from Plato to Venus, from rock 'n' roll to menopause. The work includes 239 black-and-white illustrations of artworks, portraits of historical figures, and representations of social or political activities (lessening to some degree libraries' concerns about potential damage caused by page removal by patrons). Articles have been edited only to the degree required for "consistency of style and presentation" and include "the personality of the authors and the originality of their contributions." They contain references to other articles within the encyclopedia as well as to outside sources of additional information. An alphabetical listing of articles (without corresponding page numbers) and a thematic outline supplement an index contained in the fourth volume of the set. It's also worth noting that Malti-Douglas is the author or coauthor of 12 books, including the Pulitzer Prize-nominated The Starr Report Disrobed (Columbia Univ., 2000). BOTTOM LINE Intended for scholars and students, this distinctive, wide-ranging resource is recommended for academic and large public libraries with extensive gender-studies collections. [Available electronically through Gale Virtual Reference Library; ebk. ISBN 978-0-0286-6115-5; ebook pricing depends on account type and population served.]-Sarah Sutton, Texas A&M Univ. Lib., Corpus Christi (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-These alphabetically arranged volumes discuss a variety of subjects, people, and events related to sex and gender, both physical and social. The introduction explains the rationale for the set's development and its audience and organization. It also acknowledges the controversial nature of many of the topics and describes the attempts that have been made to provide a thoroughly balanced treatment of them. In many cases, topics, especially controversial ones (such as "Abortion, Legal and Political Issues" and "Abortion, Medical Issues"), are divided into separate essays with differing focuses, and, occasionally, different authors. Volume one offers alphabetical and thematic entry lists and an annotated contributor roster. The articles, each followed by cross-references and a bibliography, are frank and clear, and considering some of their themes ("Phone Sex," "Cruising"), are remarkably free of titillation or bias. A strength of the encyclopedia is that many entries offer rationale for their inclusion. The occasionally interspersed black-and-white photographs, charts, graphs, and drawings expand upon the text. Volume four contains a set index, with boldface type indicating a main entry and italics pointing to illustrations. This is a valuable resource for anyone involved in gender studies, and a useful, matter-of-fact reference for those who are curious about matters related to sex.-Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Library Journal Review
Review by School Library Journal Review
