How do contemporary young people construct their sexual identities? Are young people sexually liberated, or is human sexuality increasingly controlled and manipulated by commercial forces? Thomas Johansson explores the construction of sexual identities by young people as part of a wider process of identity construction, combining the work of key authors such as Elias and Foucault with original and revealing empirical material drawn from an extensive survey of the views of 1300 sixteen to nineteen year olds, combined with a number of qualitative in-depth interviews with different sexual subcultures. Topics covered include fidelity and infidelity, love, homosexuality, pornography and beauty ideals. Designed to look beyond media images and popular prejudices the book illustrates how young people of both genders, of different nationalities and of different group allegiances view and relate to their own sexuality.

Thomas Johansson has a degree in psychology and a PhD in sociology. He is Professor in Social Psychology at the Centre of Cultural Studies at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden as well as a part-time Professor in Social Psychology at the University of Roskilde, Denmark. He has written extensively in the areas of youth culture, sociology of culture, social psychology, family studies, cultural studies, men's studies and the sociology of the body. He is author 'Among Men' (Ashgate, 2003) with Soren Ervo, and 'Bending Bodies' (Ashgate, 2003).

Contents: Preface; Introduction. Part I Scientia Sexualis: Pleasure and desire in modern times. Part II Youth, Gender and Sexuality: Positions and Transitions: Gender, sexuality and institutional settings; Gender and sexuality in youth culture research. Part III Desire and Identity in Contemporary Sweden: Gender order or disorder? with Nils Hammarén; Hegemonic masculinity and pornography, with Nils Hammarén; Feminism and reflexive sexuality; Young masculinities in transition; Multiculturalism, gender and sexuality. Part IV Conclusions and Epilogue: Youth in a post-traditional society; Epilogue: cyberspace, media and sexuality. Part V Appendix: Method and methodology. References; Index.