New Books Network Oliver Davis and Tim Dean, "Hatred of Sex" (U Nebraska Press, 2022)
Dec 1, 2025
Oliver Davis, a professor of French studies, and Tim Dean, an English professor focused on sexuality, delve into the complex feelings surrounding sex in their work, Hatred of Sex. They argue that our relationship with sex often includes an intrinsic antipathy, revealing how pleasure can lead to pain. The duo critiques cultural norms that suppress sexual expression and explores the ties between sexual identity and personal upheaval. Their insights challenge ongoing sociological and therapeutic narratives, advocating for a deeper embrace of the chaotic nature of sexual experiences.
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Book Born From A Drunken Dinner
- Tim Dean recounts how the book began over a drunken dinner in 2013 when they coined the title Hatred of Sex.
- He describes collaboration with Oliver Davis as a surprising, instructive process that made the book happen.
Sex As An Intrinsic Disorder
- Sex and democracy share an internal disorderliness that cannot be fixed as a mere external defect.
- Oliver Davis and Tim Dean argue this unruliness is intrinsic and shapes how cultures try to manage both.
Pleasure's Potential To Overwhelm
- Pleasure can overwhelm and tip into pain or dysregulation, creating part of sex's difficulty.
- Tim Dean emphasizes culture organizes life to prevent being overwhelmed by pleasure rather than just to increase it.
