Books like The history of sexuality by Michel Foucault

Michel Foucault’s seminal work traces the evolution of punishment and surveillance, revealing how modern societies exercise power through disciplinary institutions such as prisons, schools, and hospitals.

Ars Erotica looks at the way in which perceptions of the erotic and its expressions have changed at turning points in Western history - how the interplay of repression and permissiveness has affected art and literature. The social course of sexuality is revealed in the erotic poetry and prose of writers from ancient times through the present, including John Donne, Pablo Neruda, the Marquis de Sade, e.e. cummings, and many anonymous writers. Arousing art of all periods and mediums - images illustrating the Kama Sutra and Japanese scrolls, the engravings of Marcantonio Raimondi, the paintings of Watteau and Manet, Edward Munch's Puberty, the photography of Arthur Tress, and the work of Aubrey Beardsley, David Hockney, Andres Serrano, and many others - illustrates the theme of each chapter. Contemporaneous social and critical reactions to this art and literature are discussed, and debates are presented on the timeless issue of pornography.

Tracing the arc of transsexuality in America, Joanne J. Meyerowitz chronicles individual stories, medical breakthroughs, and cultural shifts that redefined sex, gender, and rights throughout the twentieth century.

Elaine Showalter traces the feminist intellectual lineage from Mary Wollstonecraft to modern thinkers, uncovering themes that unite women who reshaped ideas of love, work, travel, and knowledge across history.

Terry Castle gathers her most personal essays, from witty cultural commentary to a heartfelt memoir and poignant reflections on love, addiction, and identity—offering readers sharp insight into her life and literary spirit.

A sociocultural history of twentieth‑century American dating, revealing how courtship customs, etiquette, and attitudes toward sexual behavior and mate selection evolved from the post‑war era to the late 1900s.

A sweeping history of prostitution from ancient temples to modern advocacy, arguing for decriminalization and the sexual autonomy of sex workers.

In *Flying*, Kate Millett reflects on her life after the groundbreaking 1970 publication of *Sexual Politics*, examining the impact of her feminist ideas, the backlash she faced, and her personal struggles for understanding.

Examines the intertwined histories of birth control, feminism, and socialist movements, highlighting the evolving legal status and social conditions of women in Great Britain and the Soviet Union during the early twentieth century.

The life of a Jewish intellectual and romantic, in Germany, 1771-1833.

An in‑depth nonfiction study of the United States' 1960s sexual revolution, tracing societal shifts from the 1950s to the movement’s apex using diaries, interviews and contemporary research.

Edited documents explore the changing history of American sexuality.