American Hookup

October 10, 2016
Wade, a professor of sociology at Occidental College, reframes the conversation about casual sex on college campuses today with a sharp, canny report on how hookup culture has become a new norm of American campus life (“It’s more than just a behavior; it’s the climate”), and why its sexual dynamics should be cause for concern. Wade includes firsthand accounts from her research subjects (her students from the two American liberal arts colleges where she’s taught), who report in fresh and candid language on their experiences. She groups them into “abstainers,” “dabblers,” “strivers,” and “enthusiasts.” Both the media and the students themselves overestimate how much sex is happening on campus, and this leaves those who aren’t having sex (intentionally or not) feeling left out. The price of the perception, Wade notes, is high: the entrenchment of gender
stereotypes, insistent heterocentrism, punishing competition among women for male approval, and the prevalence of sexual violence. Wade writes engagingly, and the research is historically grounded (though the history is sketched swiftly and with broad strokes); her conclusions won’t surprise anyone, but the numerous student voices she includes set her book apart from others on the topic.

October 15, 2016
How and why American college students are engaging in nonintimate one-night stands.Although students on college campuses profess to be having a lot of sex, according to Wade's (Sociology/Occidental Coll.; co-author: Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions, 2014, etc.) research, "today's students boast no more sexual partners than their parents did at their age." The difference is the culture surrounding the intimacy, a topic the author thoroughly and perceptively explores. Using in-depth research and multiple surveys from hetero, bi, trans, and queer students of all ethnic and economic levels from colleges across the country, Wade delves into the new hookup culture, which allows students access to sex but can leave them feeling anxious, depressed, and overwhelmed. It comes as no surprise that drunkenness and sex often go hand in hand, that many students feel they would not be able to have sex with just anybody without the alcohol, and that the hookup often starts on the fraternity party dance floor. What is surprising is the intentional lack of emotions allowed after the sexual encounter has taken place, with students deliberately acting cold toward each other after sex. Since no one wants to be tied down or viewed as clingy, needy, or desperate, all partners act as if the other person doesn't exist, which leads to doubts about why the hookup happened in the first place. Wade does a solid job explaining the pros and cons of this new culture and includes historical data that shows how it evolved from the shift in family dynamics following the Industrial Revolution. The most interesting perspectives come from the journal entries written by students, in which they admit to wanting an emotionally charged relationship with someone but don't want the stigma of being "uncool" or of losing the opportunity to "live their sexual lives freely." An eye-opening, conversation-starting examination of sex on the American college campus.

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2017

The transition from high school senior to college freshman signifies far more than academic accomplishment. Moving from the constraints of the teen years to the seemingly unbounded freedom of de facto adulthood can be a precipitous adjustment. This shift is perhaps most evident in the increased opportunities for sex or, more specifically, within the casual sexual encounter known as the hookup. As Wade describes, hookup culture permeates recreational activities at campuses across the country. Citing examples from doctoral dissertations, popular magazine articles, and the journals of her students, the author explores the rules and rituals of hookups as well as the emotional impact these encounters may carry for participants. For example, young people often attempt to hook up with someone considered "hot," or risk ridicule from friends, and pretend that the hookup never happened when seeing their sex partner the next time. Wade notes that participants are mostly white, heterosexual, and from money, although the predominance of hookup culture affects nearly all students. Teens will probably be less shocked than adults by the accounts of emotionless sex, since these activities frequently begin in high school. But the deeper, hidden aspects of the experience-the way it deliberately avoids committed relationships and focuses narrowly on sexual desirability-are important insights for adolescents as they embark on their own college adventures. VERDICT College-bound young adults will be better prepared to navigate hookup culture on their own terms after reading this informative, empathetic account.-Diane Colson, City College, Gainesville, FL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2016
Wade, a professor at Occidental College, approaches hookup culture at American universities with a new set of questions in order to provide an engaging, thought-provoking, and accessible examination of current social behaviors. She asks how this new culture, defined by no-commitment sexual relationships, affects young adults: Who participates, and why? Who is excluded? Her work follows students of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexual orientations as they navigate hookup culture. As Wade gives a researched account of the historical evolution of dating and college social scenes, their unspoken rules, and the different expectations they create for men and women, she allows students to speak for themselves through journal entries and interviews. Many students desire better connections with their peers, yet hookup culture enforces an affected lack of caring that leaves many of them unhappy. The emphasis on an ideal college experience of parties, drinking, and sex produces complex expectations for students. Wade also addresses sexual assault and violence and the ways that hookup culture normalizes aggressive sexual behavior. Throughout the book, student interviews provide important context and nuance to Wade's excellent analysis of the benefits, challenges, influences, and impact of hookup culture, as well as the author's emphasis of its importance beyond the borders of college campuses.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2016

In examining the hookup culture that now characterizes college life, this work by Occidental College professor Wade eschews moralizing for detailed, head-on chronicle and, unlike Nancy Jo Sales's American Girls and Peggy Orenstein's Girls & Sex, represents the perspective of boys as well. One discovery: privileged students hook up the most.PREPUB ALERT ONLINE: reviews.libraryjournal.com/category/prepub SIGN UP: ow.ly/60SSZ

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2016

Using case studies, informational interviews, articles from student newspapers, and publicly available data, Wade (sociology, Occidental Coll.; Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions) explores "hookup culture" on college and university campuses. Hookup culture is defined as the expectation that students will have an abundance of casual sex in college, and that this is part of the "whole college experience." First, Wade explores the history and sociology of sex and dating to provide context for the prevalence of promiscuity among college students. She then shows how hookups happen, including the strong influence of alcohol, and how they affect participants' social status. Subsequent chapters tell how race, socioeconomic status, religion, and sexual orientation impact students' experiences. LGBTQ relationships are mentioned briefly, as the majority of study subjects are heterosexual. Additionally, Wade considers students who opt out of the behavior and feel alienated from their peers. The examination ends with an investigation of student relationships after graduation. VERDICT A fascinating and heavy study into the social lives of college students. Recommended for anyone interested in college life or sexuality studies.--Rebekah Kati, Durham, NC

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.