New Books in Sex, Sexuality, and Sex Work

New Books Network

Sexuality

Gender Studies

Queer Theory

Sexuality Studies

Sex Work

Human Trafficking

Psychoanalysis

Jane Austen

Colonialism

Feminism

Reproductive Rights

Virginity

Early Christianity

Soft-Porn Cinema

Marilyn Chambers

Pornography

Trans Studies

Prostitution

Radical Acts

Sexual Violence

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

14 ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	503	Founded	5 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	ArtsSocial SciencesScienceBooks

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Latest Episodes

Jewish Anarchist Women 1920–1950: The Politics of Sexuality

Anarchist theory includes the belief in freedom for all - that no one person, nor group of people, should have power over any others; that individuals can best decide how to live (and love). In this presentation Elaine Leeder will discuss eight Jewis... more

8 May 2026

Max Morris, "Not Sex Work: Queer Intimacy, Post-identity, and Incidental Encounters in the Digital Era" (Routledge, 2025)

Max Morris's Not Sex Work: Queer Intimacy, Post-identity, and Incidental Encounters in the Digital Era (Routledge, 2025) brings together feminist theory, media studies, and queer research methodologies to offer new, compelling insight the relationshi... more

6 May 2026 • 52 min

Sophie Rose, "Intimacy and Social (Dis)Order in Dutch Colonial Expansion: Regulating Sex, Marriage, and Family Life, 1600–1800" (Brill, 2025)

Explosive sexual scandals, bitter domestic conflicts, and dramatic changes in fortune. Sex, marriage, and family life were matters of enormous consequence in the highly complex societies that formed across the early modern Dutch overseas empire. This... more

4 May 2026 • 51 min

Katie Batza, "AIDS in the Heartland: How Unlikely Coalitions Created a Blueprint for LGBTQ Politics" (UNC Press, 2025)

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Katie Batza on their recently published book, AIDS in the Heartland: How Unlikely Coalitions Created a Blueprint for LGBTQ Politics. Published by the University of North Carolina Press, AIDS in the Heartl... more

2 May 2026 • 40 min

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Recent Guests

Sophie Rose

Postdoctoral researcher exploring morality, sexuality, and colonial law

Leiden University

Episode: Sophie Rose, "Intimacy and Social (Dis)Order in Dutch Colonial Expansion: Regulating Sex, Marriage, and Family Life, 1600–1800" (Brill, 2025)

Katie Batza

Author of AIDS in the Heartland, health activist and scholar

University of Kansas

Episode: Katie Batza, "AIDS in the Heartland: How Unlikely Coalitions Created a Blueprint for LGBTQ Politics" (UNC Press, 2025)

Samira Mehta

Author of God Bless the Pill, The Surprising History of Contraception and Sexuality in American Religion

University of North Carolina Press

Episode: Samira K. Mehta, "God Bless the Pill: The Surprising History of Contraception and Sexuality in American Religion" (UNC Press, 2026)

Abigail Ocobock

Author, Marriage Material: How an Enduring Institution Is Changing Same-Sex Relationships

University of Chicago (Sociology)

Episode: Abigail Ocobock, "Marriage Material: How an Enduring Institution Is Changing Same-Sex Relationships" (U Chicago Press, 2024)

Alisa Kessel

Author, Rape Fantasies: Rape Culture and the Persistence of Sexual Violence

Oxford University Press (publisher) / academic author

Episode: Alisa Kessel, "Rape Fantasies: Rape Culture and the Persistence of Sexual Violence" (Oxford UP, 2025)

Daphne A. Brooks

Editor of the volume Black Star Rising and The Purple Rain, The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince

Yale University (editorial role)

Episode: Daphne A. Brooks, "Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince" (Duke UP, 2026)

Leslie Barnes

Associate Professor of French Studies at the Australian National University

Australian National University

Episode: Leslie Barnes, "Sex Work in Southeast Asia: Scenes of Ambivalence in Literature and Film" (Edinburgh UP, 2025)

Isabelle Held

Author of Atomic Bombshells, How Plastics Shaped Postwar Bodies

New York Historical Society (Mellon Foundation Fellow)

Episode: Isabelle Held, "Atomic Bombshells: How Plastics Shaped Postwar Bodies" (Duke UP, 2026)

Satya Shikha Chakraborty

Associate Professor in History at the College of New Jersey

College of New Jersey

Episode: Satya Shikha Chakraborty, "Colonial Caregivers: Ayahs and the Gendered History of Race and Caste in British India" (Cambridge UP, 2025)

Host

Dr. Miranda Melcher

Host of various series within the New Books Network, focusing on scholarly discussions.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 14 ratings

Nope
I really liked some episodes which had some interviews with researchers and sex workers, but with the May 2023 episode with Mary Eberstadt, I’ve learned this podcast series is just as bad as the mainstream media
There is no sex worker solidarity without solidarity for trans people. If you’re reading this and thinking “well not everything is black and white, you just don’t want people to express their opinions freely”, please go educate yourself with some recent research on the current statistic... more
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TinaDeutschland
Canada3 years ago

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Some reviews highlight concerns about certain episodes' alignment with contemporary social issues, suggesting areas for improvement in addressing diverse perspectives.

Listeners appreciate the scholarly discussions and the depth of research presented in episodes, often praising the expert guests.

The podcast is recognized for bringing attention to important and often marginalized topics in sexuality studies, although not all discussions resonate with every listener's perspective.

Chart Rankings

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Apple Podcasts	#177	Australia/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#177	France/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#60	South Korea/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#78	Colombia/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#79	Ukraine/Science/Social Sciences
Apple Podcasts	#86	Switzerland/Science/Social Sciences

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Katie Batza, "AIDS in the Heartland: How Unlikely Coalitions Created a Blueprint for LGBTQ Politics" (UNC Press, 2025)

Q: Could you share a little bit about how you came to this project and the archival and methodological choices you made?

Batza describes stumbling upon a wealth of archival material near her office, using oral histories to capture voices that might have been lost, and choosing to center the Heartland as a discursive space rather than a fixed geography; this approach shaped her argument about regional imaginaries and HIV/AIDS history.

Sophie Rose, "Intimacy and Social (Dis)Order in Dutch Colonial Expansion: Regulating Sex, Marriage, and Family Life, 1600–1800" (Brill, 2025)

Q: If readers took away only one thing from your book, what would you like it to be?

Colonial power is a constantly negotiated process with actors pulling in different directions, suggesting that what is considered normal is continually contested rather than dictated by a single authority.

Sophie Rose, "Intimacy and Social (Dis)Order in Dutch Colonial Expansion: Regulating Sex, Marriage, and Family Life, 1600–1800" (Brill, 2025)

Q: What's next after this book?

Rose discusses a new project on madness in the Dutch East India Company world, focusing on mental health and criminalization in the Indian Ocean context, continuing the themes of normativity and governance in a new historical angle.

Sophie Rose, "Intimacy and Social (Dis)Order in Dutch Colonial Expansion: Regulating Sex, Marriage, and Family Life, 1600–1800" (Brill, 2025)

Q: You touch on interracial and non-Christian marriages; how did the VOC manage such diversity in law and practice?

The VOC initially hesitated to intervene in internal community norms for non-Christian groups, but over the 18th century began codifying how Chinese, Islamic, and Hindu laws could be used in courts, creating a hybrid regulatory system that acknowledged communal practices while still imposing a overarching colonial framework.

Sophie Rose, "Intimacy and Social (Dis)Order in Dutch Colonial Expansion: Regulating Sex, Marriage, and Family Life, 1600–1800" (Brill, 2025)

Q: Could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your book?

Sophie Rose describes herself as a historian of Dutch early modern colonialism and morality, explaining that the book examines how intimate life—sex, marriage, and family—was regulated across the Dutch Empire to reveal broader struggles over colonial power.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast primarily explores the intricacies of sex, sexuality, and sex work through the lens of scholarly research. Each episode features interviews with experts who discuss their recent publications, fostering a deeper understanding of various intersecting themes such as race, gender, and societal narratives surrounding sexuality. The discussions encapsulate a range of topics, including historical perspectives, cultural critiques, and contemporary challenges faced by marginalized communities. The blend of academic rigor with accessible conversation aims to illuminate pressing social issues while presenting diverse scholarly viewpoints, making this a unique resource for those interested in nuanced discussions about sexuality and sex wor... more

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1. New Books in Psychoanalysis
2. Ordinary Unhappiness
3. The LRB Podcast
4. Critics at Large | The New Yorker
5. If I Speak

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this podcast launched 5 years ago and published 503 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Sophie Rose
2. Katie Batza
3. Samira Mehta
4. Abigail Ocobock
5. Alisa Kessel
6. Daphne A. Brooks
7. Leslie Barnes
8. Isabelle Held

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