Arch Sex Behav (2006) 35:519

DOI 10.1007/s10508-006-9053-3
BOOK REVI EW
Sexualit e et Sida: Recherches en Sciences Sociales
By Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida, Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida,
Paris, France, 1995.
Vern L. Bullough
Published online: 22 August 2006
C
Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006
This is a much delayed book review of French research into
AIDS (Sida) but it is still important. It represents a collection
of papers and discussion from a two day conference held in
1994 dealing with French research into AIDS. French re-
search into the subject did not begin until the 1980s when it
was realized that though there had been considerable French
research into philosophy and history of sex, there had been
little studies into what the French actually did. A number
of studies were commissioned to investigate the frequency
of certain sexual practices which were potential sources of
AIDS, but also provide an analysis of the social context, rela-
tionships, and psychology of sexuality at different stages in
the life cycles, and the possibility of making sexual practices
safer.
The results are an interesting collection of articles and
discussions with a lengthy bibliography after each section
which gives considerable information, not only on French
practices, but on topics such as the problems of research-
Editors note. I regret to inform the readership that Professor Bullough,
who reviewed this book, died on June 21, 2006.
V. L. Bullough ()
3304 West Sierra Dr., Westlake Village, California 91362-3542
e-mail: vbullough@hotmail.com
ing sexuality, observing the unobservable, sexual activity in
developing countries of the world, sexual partners and prac-
tices, norms and representations of sexuality important for
determining the social construction of sexuality, and the im-
portance of putting research into a French context since so
much of sex is socially and culturally inuenced.
All of this is in the rst two sections and it is followed
by brief summaries of research on the sociology of AIDS,
by an examination of the nature of love, and by research
in the psychiatry as well as the social psychology of sex.
Included also is a study of masculine prostitution in Paris,
other studies on masturbation, sexual violence, and, in fact,
on an alphabet of French sexual practices. The main value
of the book at this late date is the bibliographies of French
research into sexuality sponsored by ANRS (Agence Na-
tionale de Recherches sur le Sida) which might be unknown
to most of the readers of this journal and which many will nd
helpful.
Springer