Conjugality

Heather Brook is Senior Lecturer in the School of Social and Policy Studies at Flinders University, Australia.

• 1. Introduction2. Theorizing Conjugality3. Making Marriage4. Sex Magic5. Marriage Beyond the Pale6. Fault7. No-Fault8. Cohabitation9. Same-sex Marriage10. Conclusion

"Women's studies scholar Brook ... critically interrogates marriage and the regulation of conjugal relationships. Aptly using theoretical insights from Foucault and Butler, she offers a sharp critique of feminist discussions of marriage as a stable social institution and proposes new ways of conceptualizing marriage as a dynamic arena of regulation based on governmentality, corporeality, and performativity. Basing her study on the analysis of legal and social discourse in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Brook applies her framework in discussing historical and contemporary issues around marriage including same-sex marriage, cohabitation, and divorce ... Overall, this is an important contribution to the field of women's studies and feminist theory, and will also be widely accessible for readers who want to learn more about changing meanings of marriage and intimate relationships. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries." - CHOICE