| Abstract |
Dr. Alfred Charles Kinsey was an American biologist, professor of entomology and zoology, and sexologist. Known as the father of the sexual revolution, Dr. Kinsey's work has influenced social and cultural values in the United States and around the world. On April 8, 1947, Dr. Alfred Kinsey and his research team incorporated as the Institute for Sex Research. ISR had two primary goals: to continue the team's research on human sexual behavior; and to administer research resources, including research materials, a library, case histories, and other related materials. In 1981, 25 years after Dr. Kinsey's death, the Institute for Sex Research was renamed The Kinsey Institute for Sex Research. Sex Research: Early Literature from Statistics to Erotica covers the topic of human sexuality as it was treated in the writings of the 18th and 19th centuries, although it should be noted that there are also books from the 17th and 20th centuries, as well as some books that were reprints of older texts from previous centuries. The books in this collection are taken from the Alfred C. Kinsey Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University and offer a view into the materials Dr. Kinsey acquired in order to continue his research into sexuality. Human sexual behavior as a subject and factor in human existence appears in works from almost every field of knowledge. Modern readers are able to assess how much of contemporary life reflects a real "sexual revolution" and how much is really rooted in the past. The content in this collection covers a variety of topics in the history of sex and sexuality. One area covered is sexual behaviour and attitudes. Books in this area look at the sexual mores of the 18th and 19th centuries. Some of the topics covered include: incest, celibacy, extramarital sex, and homosexuality. One will also encounter books on sex, law, and medicine. Books covering such topics as rape, sex offenses, divorce, venereal diseases, reproduction, and adultery make up this area of the collection. This section contains a large number of trial accounts from the 18th century. The topic of sex is well represented in literature. The more "classic" titles in this area of research appear in this section, which helps provide insight into the development of varying sexual attitudes throughout the world. Most titles are in English, French, or German. Also presented are books covering sex and the humanities. This part or the collection deals with the status of women, anticlerical works, medical aspects of sex, and the immoral effects of music, theater, and dancing. Also included are social histories, dictionaries, and art books. It is the variety of titles and subjects in this collection that make the research opportunities intriguing. As Dr. Alfred Kinsey stated: "A sex library, unlike a library in any other subject, must draw material from a diversity of fields. Not only must biology, medicine, psychology, psychiatry, and other sciences be represented, but also material from purely literary sources, from the Classics, from modern fiction, from poetry, from art, from law, from religious literature, and from many other fields." |
