Given the cliche about "the world's oldest profession," it is curious that this is the first encyclopedia to explore prostitution and the many issues it touches. Apparently, its only published antecedent is a 1998 Russian title that is, according to WorldCat, available in just two OCLC member libraries. This new encyclopedia, then, is for all practical purposes sui generis.
Its 179 contributors, most of them academics in a variety of disciplines from throughout the Anglophone world, cover a wide range of topics related to the sex trade. These include its treatment in a variety of national literatures and the works of individual authors (e.g., Oscar Wilde, Emile Zola); its depiction by visual artists; the history and status of prostitution in historical periods and national cultures and notable cities; and even light-pop-culture treatments such as Pretty Woman. Articles of narrower scope treat subjects such as OYOTE, Escort agencies, Free love, Laundresses, Male prostitution, Mustang Ranch, Pimpmobiles, Shoes, Transgender sex workers , Voyeurism , and individuals ranging from Jane Addams to Xaviera Hollander. Hefty appendixes reproduce historical accounts; poems and song lyrics; documents by sex workers; and legal documents related to prostitution, its history, and its regulation. Additional research support is provided by a chronology and an extensive bibliography, which complements the entry-specific further-reading lists. Alphabetical and topical lists of entries facilitate use.
Most articles maintain the cool objectivity that is the hallmark of the scholarly encyclopedia. Some few, however, tip their author's point of view, generally showing sympathy for prostitutes. For example, attorney Juhu Thukral's articles on Decriminalization and Prohibition slightly favor a view of prostitutes as entrepreneurs burdened by government regulation. Thukral is director of the Sex Workers Project in New York City, which focuses on providing legal services and policy advocacy for the industry.
This encyclopedia provides historical context and contemporary analysis of the complex issues related to prostitution, issues easily reduced to shibboleths. It will fill a void in academic reference collections. In communities where prostitution is a concern, it will provide informative background for public-policy discussions. James Rettig
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
"If prostitution is indeed the world's oldest profession, a comprehensive reference source covering sex work has been a long time coming. Encyclopedia of Prostitution and Sex Work is well worth the wait. It proves to be an excellent starting point for learning about this universally fascinating and controversial topic. This work is very clear in defining its scope and purpose. Becuase it represents one of the first real forays into collecting and condensing the body of research on sex work, it is meant to present an overview that can be built upon by future works. That being said the coverage is expansive….[t]his work is highly recommended for most any public or academic library. In addition to filling a void in the literature, it also strikes a balance between rigorous reseach and readability."
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Reference & User Services Quarterly
"Courtesans, strumpets, harlots, hookers; the colorful vocabulary of the world's oldest profession hasn't garnered the academic treatment accorded lesser subjects-until now. This informative two-volume collection of essays, edited by Ditmore, forms a broad view of prostitution around the world but particularly in the United States. Historical details are abundant, ranging from first-person accounts to entries on ancient Greece, the Bible, and 19th-century New York City. The 341 alphabetically and topically arranged entries, written by an expert panel of contributors, are readable and balanced, with little social commentary. Articles on serious subjects, like soiled doves and rape, contrast with essays on, e.g., Gunsmoke and shoes. Included are a time line, historical accounts, poems, documents, and suggestions for further reading….As an initial attempt to define this topic, the encyclopedia will serve academic libraries well. Public libraries seeking research materials on social issues may find the work less useful, except where collections in human sexuality are particularly strong. Recommended for specialized public and all academic libraries."
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Library Journal
"Given the cliche about the worlds oldest profession, it is curious that this is the first encyclopedia to explore prostitution and the many issues it touches. Apparently, its only published antecedent is a 1998 Russian title that is, according to WorldCat, available in just two OCLC member libraries. This new encyclopedia, then, is for all practical purposes sui generis….This encyclopedia provides historical context and contemporary analysis of the complex issues related to prostitution, issues easily reduced to shibboleths. It will fill a void in academic reference collections. In communities where prostitution is a concern, it will provide informative background for public-policy discussions."
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Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"This two-volume encyclopedia provides a comprehensive overview of prostitution and related areas of interest. Editor Ditmore serves as research consultant at the Sex Workers Project in New York, and the inclusive, nonjudgmental nature of that organization is reflected in this reference work. Its entries are written in an objective, scholarly tone by professionals and academics; a few contributors are sex workers themselves, according to their biographical information. Readers will find many access points to information, including alphabetical and topical lists of entries, and thorough cross-referencing. Appendixes contain various types of documents….The real strength of this reference work is its breadth: entries cover prostitution's relevance in the arts, gender/sexuality studies, history, legal studies, politics, public health, and sociology, all with a global focus. However, this work will most likely be considered for purchase in support of criminology or women's studies collections….Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above."
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Choice
"Five thousand words, much less the 500 allowed here, are insufficient to review critically and appreciate properly a reference work this exciting, valuable, unique and scrupulously edited….[w]ith equal parts authority and freshness, a dazzling array of intellectual, political, medical, historical and sexual concerns have been covered. Colonialism, AIDS, religion, the Internet, globalization and migration and mobility are each explored in always sober, often lively prose….The editor, contributors and advisory board members are to be congratulated also for having responsibly walked that razors edge of attempting to write and edit fairly about something as protean as sexual networking, something that so vividly reveals tensions between structure and agency, Church and State, labor and capital, exploitation and choice, horror and love."
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Feminist Review
"A path-breaking encyclopedia… I found this encyclopedia very informative and the two volumes kept me engrossed and mesmerized for weeks together. Every page is so full of new information. Highly recommended for social scientists, social workers, social reformers, workers in the field of community medicine, … NGOs, gynecologists and obstetricians and even forensic pathologists. In addition, writers, authors, bibliophiles, teachers, professors and educators, and above all a general well-informed layman would enjoy this encyclopedia immensely. The non-technical language used in the encyclopedia makes this encyclopedia accessible to everyone."
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Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
"[A]n absorbing read, which offers an insight into social behaviour as well as the oldest profession, It would be a useful addition to most academic collections, and support workers in this field may also find this of some interest."
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Reference Reviews
". . . the first reference work of its kind, successfully bringing together 341 entries about prostitution worldwide, with a heavy focus on the United States and a user-friendly format and timeline for easy reference. . . . This encyclopedia is an absolutely essential reference work, especially for those academic libraries that support women/gender studies, sociology, human sexuality, psychology, and other related courses of study for undergraduates and beyond."
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Feminist Collections
