View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.

”A sophisticated and subtle collection of essays. . . . Stein's innovative volume stands out. . . . Stein's book is notable for combining a commitment to qualitative social science methods with an appropriate grasp of its limitations. She is unusually clear-eyed about the shifting politics of knowledge . . . and reminds us that both sides in the culture wars depend on those we entrust to produce knowledge.”
—Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide

"Arlene Stein has established herself as one of the premier sociologists of sexuality writing today. Skillfully combining historical, sociological, and cultural approaches, this book offers powerful accounts of sexuality in America."
—Steven Seidman, author of Beyond the Closet: The Transformation of Gay and Lesbian Life

"Shameless is a lively and clear-headed account of the Two Americas--sexual liberals and the conservatives who have opposed them--and how America came to be the land of sex and shame."
—Alice Echols, author of Shaky Ground: The Sixties and Its Aftershocks

"Arlene Stein is among the most original, wise, bold, and engaging sociological analysts of U.S. culture wars in print today. This riveting collection, displaying capacious intellect and graceful prose, is a must-read for anyone concerned with contemporary clashes over sex, gender, and culture."
—Judith Stacey, author of In the Name of the Family: Rethinking Family Values in the Postmodern Age

Shame, a powerful emotion, leads individuals to feel vulnerable, victimized, rejected. In Shameless, noted scholar and writer Arlene Stein explores American culture's attitudes toward shame and sexuality.

Some say that we live in a world without shame. But American culture is a curious mix of the shameless and the shamers, a seemingly endless parade of Pamela Andersons and Jerry Falwells strutting their stuff and wagging their fingers. With thoughtful analysis and wit, Shameless analyzes these clashing visions of sexual morality.

While conservatives have brought back sexual shame--by pushing for abstinence-only sex education, limitations on abortion, and prohibitions of gay/lesbian civil rights--progressives hold out for sexual liberalization and a society beyond "the closet." As these two Americas compete with one another, the future of family life, the right to privacy, and the very meaning of morality hang in the balance.