Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Sexual Minorities and Politics: An Introduction

The political representation and involvement of sexual minorities in the United States has been highly contested and fiercely debated. As recent legislative and judicial victories create inroads towards equality for this growing population, members and advocates of these minorities navigate evolving political and legal systems while continuing to fight against societal and institutional resistance. Sexual Minorities and Politics is the first textbook to provide students with an up-to-date, thorough, and comprehensive overview of the historical, political, and legal status of sexual and gender minorities. Skillfully synthesizing the research of political scientists, political theorists, and historians, Jason Pierceson describes the history of the LGBT rights movement, chronicles the building of political and legal movements and the responses to them, examines philosophical debates within and about the movement, and assesses the current state of the politics and policies concerning sexual minorities. In addition to carefully structured analyses and contextual explanations, the text provides lists of key terms and discussion questions in each chapter to aid student comprehension and fuel classroom debate. Review Sexual Minorities and Politics is masterfully done, providing the reader with a comprehensive, timely, and accessible account of LGBT political advocacy. Instructors will find the text versatile for a number of courses across (and within) disciplines. Pierceson also discusses a number of emerging issues that will make the text relevant beyond its initial publication, especially since these public policy questions are unlikely to be 'settled' for some time. Finally, the book's historical analysis should make it a staple despite the dynamic nature of LGBT issues; the how and why regarding LGBT political activism and group mobilization are illuminating for scholarship more generally.--Journal of Political Science Accessible and comprehensive, the book gives a great overview of all of the major developments in the United States, combining history, theory, and empirical evidence from the latest research... Widely adaptable for courses in political science or interdisciplinary sexuality/LGBT studies.--Shawn Schulenberg, Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Political Science, Marshall University Well written, comprehensive, and compelling. It is no exaggeration to say this is the best sexuality and politics textbook on the market.--Charles Anthony "Tony" Smith, University of California, Irvine About the Author Jason Pierceson is associate professor of political science at the University of Illinois, Springfield. He is the author of Same-Sex Marriage in the United States: The Road to the Supreme Court, (2013)