Prostitution and Feminism: Towards a Politics of Feeling

Feminists have long differed in their view of prostitution. Whilesome regard it as a classic form of exploitation and degradation, others offer a more sympathetic interpretation of women'sinvolvement in the sex industry. In this important new book, MaggieO'Neill seeks to explore the theoretical debates on prostitutionand the relevance of these to the everyday lived experiences ofwomen working on the streets.Based upon her own ethnographic research - defined as ethno-mimesis- the author seeks to undermine and demystify stereotypical imagesof prostitutes. She explores the narratives offered by prostitutesthemselves, as well as other forms of their representation in film, art and photography, and shows how these various mediums may beused to shed light on the socio-economic processes and structureswhich lead women into prostitution. These personal accounts producewhat O'Neill refers to as 'a politics of feeling', which, sheargues, may be used to transform attitudes, policy and practice inrelation to female prostitution. By relating these individualexperiences to critical feminist theory, the book deepens ourunderstanding of the phenomenon of prostitution in contemporarysociety.The book will be of particular interest to students and scholars ingender studies, feminist theory and sociology.