Description
Book SynopsisArgues that despite the American Revolution's rhetoric of classical liberalism, the founding generation did not trust ordinary citizens with extensive liberty
Trade Review"...Provocative and compelling...Kann's work is a must-read for both specialists and those looking for an introduction to issues of sex, law, and the state. Kann's analysis of the theoretical and legal basis upon which the state policed sex is sophisticated and nuanced in a way that rewards close reading. His thesis is convincing, and Kann draws from an impressive array of secondary works...a feat." -- Katie Hemphill * Commonplace Review *
"Kann's latest tour de force explores the ambivalence, during the founding of our nation, about whether political freedom should augur sexual freedom. Tracing the roots of patriarchal sexual repression back to revolutionary America, Kann asks highly contemporary questions about the boundaries between public and private life, suggesting, provocatively, that political and sexual freedom should go hand in hand. This is a must-read for those interested in the interwining of politics, public life, and sexuality." -- Ben Agger,University of Texas at Arlington
"Mark E. Kann's latest book provides important insights into the creation of patriarchy and of sexual morality in the Early Republic. Kann deftly engages with the contradictions and dilemmas posed by new freedoms for men and women unleashed by the Revolution conflicting with an emerging patriarchy that sought social control and moral order. Kann's book is a vital and stimulating contribution to our understanding of gender and masculinity in the Early Republic." -- Kevin White,University of Sussex
"The author expertly incorporates the recent historiography of antebellum sexuality into his analysis. In fact, the major strength of Taming Passion for Public Goodis Kanns cogent discussion of monographs by Clare Lyons, Richard Godbeer, Helen Lefkowitz, and other scholars." * Journal of Social History *
Table of ContentsContents Acknowledgments ix 1 In the Shadow of Patriarchal Authority 1 2 Resilient Patriarchal Authority 23 3 The Need to Police Sex 49 4 Policing Impassioned Men 77 5 Policing Women's Sex Lives 103 6 Policing Prostitution 129 7 The Patriarchal Core of Liberalism 161 Notes 183 Bibliography 213 Index 229 About the Author
