Safe, Sane and Consensual

Book excerpt: Psychological and medical perspectives on sadomasochism have historically been concerned with understanding it as a form of psychopathology. In the past (but still often today) studies of S/M have been concerned with extreme and most often non-consensual acts. However, more recently there has been growing interest in exploring the meaning of S/M in non-pathological ways. This book directly addresses this development, presenting some of the most recent cutting edge work on S/M by leading international scholars who all seek to understand rather than pathologise. This includes the latest thinking on theory and practice, academic-community pieces, as well as the presentation of new empirical findings across the range of identities and practices that constitute S/M.