Description
Book Synopsis To fit a changing society, the conventional ways we date and mate have given way to brand new methods. People nowadays marry later in life, choose not to marry at all, seek partners after divorce, outlive spouses, relocate to new areas and even endure pandemics. This signifies that we are moving toward larger dating pools, something made possible through public personal advertising.
This text details personal advertising in print and digital media, as well as online dating services, speed dating, the use of mobile dating apps and other topics. Interviews reveal the appeal and limitations of personal advertising for meeting people. This book offers a window into the development of trust and relationships, as well as the increasing role technology plays in shaping how people meet and mate in the modern world.
Trade ReviewDelayed marriage, advances in life span, increased geographic mobility, and the likelihood of divorce have all contributed to an ever-increasing pool of Americans seeking to date at various stages in their lives. A popular mechanism to identify and attract a date (and perhaps a potential mate) has been the use of public personal advertising. Quiroz examines the evolution of this tool—from print ads in the late 1800s to digital media today—focusing especially on the role technology has played since 1996. Through content analysis of personal advertisements and user profiles on online dating services, in-depth interviews with women who advertise, and participant observation at different dating events, the author demonstrates how continuously evolving technology increasingly shapes dating and mating opportunities and outcomes. ...offers readers some useful insights about the quest for modern romance...recommended"—
ChoiceTable of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Tables
- Introduction: Personal Advertising: Dating, Mating, and Relating in Modern Society
- 1. From Mail-Order and Picture Brides to Dating Apps and Couples Massage: The Evolution of Personal Advertising
- 2. "Can't Buy Me Love?": The Intersection of Romance with Science and Commerce
- 3. "Doing Identity" in Personal Advertising
- 4. The Color of Love: Black and Latina Ad Placers
- 5. Building Trust in a Distrusting Society
- 6. Speed Dating: The Adult Version of Musical Chairs
- 7. Serendipity in Personal Advertising: Couples Yoga, Couples Massage and Adult Dating "Classes"
- 8. Dating Apps: Finding Love Just Around the Corner
- 9. Personal Advertising in the Age of Covid-19
- Appendix: Methods
- Sociological Studies of Personal Ads
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
