Speaking about sex for sale historically, spatially and politically

Abstract

This chapter introduces the concept and content of the book to the readers. It describes the aim of the book, which is to elaborate the contingency of how we understand prostitution, arguing that it is often taken for granted in debates and scholarship as to what prostitution, sex work or sex for sale are, but rarely investigated further. It also describes some of the literature that offers insightful perspectives on this and that in different ways serves as an inspiration for the book. The chapter then describes the three parts of the book, ‘Historically speaking’, ‘Speaking from experience’ and ‘Speaking about control’, and how the chapters offer different inroads into the exploration of the meanings and moralities of sexual commerce.