Human sexuality in Africa : Beyond reproduction

It can generally be assumed that there are two reasons for people to have sex - to have children and to have fun.

This title looks at the fun aspects. In Africa, a lot is known about the sexual and reproductive health aspects of sexulity through large-scale surveys, including the World Fertlity surveys and demographic and health surveys.

Furthermore, anthropologists have largely documented the exotic rites de passage and marriage in traditional societies while popular media has, in recent years, made signigifcant inroads in breaking the silence surrounding sexuality.

Yet, mcuh remains to be discovered regarding the positive and non-heterosexual expressions of sexuality in Africa.

The papers presented in this title are charaterised by a wide-ranging view and tone that is often speculative and best viewed as a provocative introduction to an important field of enquiry, rather han as a state-of-the-art assessment of sexuality in Africa.

It is hoped that the chapters will stimulate further thought and research, especially since most make no pretence of offering the final word on the topics they discuss.