Male Intergenerational Intimacy : Historical, Socio-Psychological, and Legal Perspectives

This controversial new volume is one of the first attempts to produce an accurate, non-biased look at man-boy relationships. Through historical and ethnological examples from different times and places, experts document and further the discussion about the place of man-boy relationships in contemporary Western society. Male Intergenerational Intimacy is a courageous attempt to go beyond almost universal taboos against discussing pedophilia, and in doing so, this insightful book contributes greatly to the documentation of the diversity of the phenomenon and establishes a climate in which a less emotional and a more open and scholarly discussion is possible.

This groundbreaking book presents new historical, legal, sociological, psychological, and cross-disciplinary research on male intergenerational intimacy. Experts thoroughly document and further the discussion about this area of research through historical and ethnological examples from different times and places, and aim to clarify how controversies about the subject have evolved in modern Western society. The editors of Male Intergenerational Intimacy have solicited original research and literature reviews which do not digress into emotional arguments for or against intergenerational intimacy but instead aim to establish the basics for a research-based scholarship.
The contributors address the implications of intergenerational intimacy on a variety of levels--from friendship and companionship through sexual dimensions--and further analyze personal accounts to illustrate how individuals involved in intergenerational intimacy understand themselves and how they construct their concepts of intimacy and sexual identity. Contributors also deal with intergenerational intimacy behaviors that require counseling, treatment, and psychotherapeutic interventions from a positive approach. Finally, separate chapters deal with criminology issues and penal codes as they relate to the subject area.