As Tina Turner might say, "What's sociology got to do, got to do with it?" Who needs a sociological point of view when we already have the psychologists, sexual and relationship therapists, historians and gynaecologists? Well actually, there is quite a bit Sociology can tell us about sex. If you think back to the television series, Sex and the City, that was a sociological observation of sex. It showed sexual attitudes, practices, behaviours and relationships. There were also great clothes and shoes. Okay, so I'm more likely to be in Karen Millen than Oscar De La Renta and kitting my feet out in Faith shoes rather than Manolo Blahnik's but I still know a thing or two about relationships. A sociological eye makes me pretty good at reading body language (a particularly useful skill at college parties for betting who'll get together with whom). As for the mating and dating game, I'm quite confident at predicting the outcomes of different scenarios!

Essentially, sex is social. It involves the social interaction between two (or more) people. These sexual partners are connected to other people through social networks. Such networks take place within a sexual culture, where shared beliefs, meanings and practices influence sexual behaviours. Then there is the governing sexuality of a society. Sexuality has two meanings. It can be defined as sexual identity (e.g. homosexuality) or it constitutes what is publicly considered to be appropriate and inappropriate sexual behaviours. In other words, it is the public sexual attitudes towards sexual behaviours. Sociologists would argue that these attitudes are socially constructed and what is considered acceptable sexual behaviours changes throughout time and across cultures. Sometimes, certain behaviours or groups are labelled sexually deviant (e.g. prostitutes). So as you can see, sociological explanations of sex can be used from the Micro level (i.e. the individual) through to what we term the Meso level (i.e. networks, social ties between people) to the Macro level (i.e. society, social structure, legislation, institutions).

People may argue that sex is private and is governed by instinct or hormones. Sociologists do not deny that. Instead they argue that people's decision-making regarding sexual behaviours are affected by social pressures. These include the attitudes of close friends, family and peers, the culture they live in and what their society deems as being sexual norms. For instance, an individual is considered responsible for his/her own sexual health. Yet there is considerable evidence to show that social forces can conspire to pressure people into taking sexual risks. In the developing world and in western societies, women often lack power relative to men in relationships. Women may be emotionally dependent upon their partners, fear losing him or risk abuse if they insist on contraception. They may also rely on financial help from their partners. As a consequence, women may suffer unduly from sexually transmitted infections or experience unwanted pregnancies despite knowing that they should protect themselves. Poverty, limited access to health services, unemployment, lifestyle, alcohol and drug misuse also impact upon people's ability to maintain good sexual health.

Speaking of risk-taking sexual behaviours, sociologists have contributed enormously to the understanding of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. We now know how 'individual' risk factors like age at first intercourse, number of sexual partners and specific sexual practices aid the transmission of diseases. We also know that the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection is linked to 'partnership' risk factors, which reflect unique sexual interactions (i.e. where the partners met, duration of pre-sexual period, use of contraception and the frequency of sexual activity). An offshoot of sociological work on sexual health is of course the development of policies and strategies, where the sexual attitudes and behaviours of populations are integral.

Another area where sociologists have been at work pertains to meanings of sex and sexual identity. Sometimes referred to as Sociology of Sexuality, tremendous work has been done on what heterosexuality, homosexuality and transsexuality signify in modern societies. This body of knowledge also touches upon the emphasis on romance and marriage and the growing 'sexualisation' of our culture - i.e. how sexual images are used to sell products and how the media, particularly women's magazines, perpetuates steps or guides to becoming, what I call, a sexual performer. Lately, studies have been done on sexual functioning and on the apparent rise in sexual dysfunction including the use of so-called wonder drugs, like Viagra. Identifying the sexual norms of different age groups, such as adolescents and the elderly, is another component.

So here ends the whistle-stop tour of Sociology of Sex and Relationships. As you can see, there has been a considerable amount of research done on the subject - which is remarkable in itself as the area is under-funded simply because sex is 'taboo'! The intention on this page is to cover some of the interesting topics in the area like how to get ahead in the dating game and understanding your sexual career (yep, you do have one!) I may not be on a talk show flaunting my new book with manicured lacquered nails but stick with this webpage co-starring the Cocktail Girls. You may just learn a thing or two to boost your relationship knowledge.