Description
Book SynopsisSex is a theoretical puzzle because it is much older than we are. A primary fact of biology, sex has defined society from nearly the beginning of life on earth, and as a result we cannot see its effects in our lives in evolutionary comparisons with near primate or mammalian relatives. Sex is a puzzle, too, because it is often misconstrued in social science. It is not, as many social scientists believe, a mere feature of a person, like hair or skin color. Rather it is a part played in the life of the species. This propensity to view sex as a personal feature has kept social science from seeing how sex figures in the social life of the species.Male and Female in Social Life presents a theoretical framework to describe how sex (the division of our species between male and female) brings life and order to society. It argues that sex is the mainspring of social life and it tells us the most about social dynamics and forms. The book centers on five chapters that describe four moments of huma
