Pornography

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of pornography in brief historical and present contexts, with particular attention placed on its empirical significance. While porn has been widely contested, criticized, regulated, and debated, it has and continues to be a central fixture in national and global economies. Scholarly attention to pornography has occurred mainly in the humanities, and more recently the social sciences. Therefore, this chapter draws on an interdisciplinary body of literature to offer a comprehensive look at pornography as it relates to sexualities in an institutional context. The chapter discusses the definitions and categorizations of pornography, presents main dialogues surrounding pornography, and highlights gender and sexual orientation as key factors in porn production, content, consumer, and perception patterns. The chapter also articulates particular porn genres (gay/bisexual male, female-friendly, woman-made, transgender/genderqueer) before moving to a discussion on the relationship between technology and pornography, as well as a brief look at the industry aspects of pornography. The chapter concludes with directions for future research on pornography and the sex industry.