The Anthropology of Intimacy

Sex, love and marriage are all expressions of human intimacy, yet practices vary widely across societies. This course looks at universal needs for intimacy in cultural context. It begins with how men and women are defined culturally. Then it considers a range of sexual activities as societal demands or expressions of love. How does a given society define romantic love? How is homosexuality regarded? How does love magic work? Intimacy is steered through culturally defined roles, from sex workers to men playing the roles of women. Sexual antagonism sees men and women as dangerous to each other; how does love and marriage work in such societies? Marriage practices, from arranged marriage to marriage based on love, from polygamy to monogamy, all arise based on cultural demands as well. The course includes a look at the emotional legacy of sexual assault on college campuses.