SOCI 1002 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1-12: Hookup Culture, Rape Culture, Acting White
11 Jun 2018
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Natasha Gosselin - Janine Kiefer
March 12th, 2018
SOC 1002 A: Sociology Book Analysis
American Hookup is an excellent novel written by associate professor of sociology, Lisa
Wade, which was published in 2017. This book touches on many issues regarding hookup
culture on college and university campuses. Throughout its entirety, hookup culture is referred to
as stressful, unavoidable and yet, exhilarating. Although everybody experiences this culture
uniquely, Wade explores the different categories of people within this culture and how their
university experiences are differently impacted. I never noticed how prominent this idea of
hookup culture was until I realized that it was an epidemic sweeping nations and not only in my
university. The book is very diverse making it extremely easy for anyone to relate to. Wade
covered every type of personality and situation which could arise from hookup culture, allowing
any reader to find themselves identifying with a character from the book, based on their own
personal experiences. As Wade excellently puts it, “love has diversified, sex can too” (Wade,
2017, p. 247). Sex, especially hookup culture, has existed for decades even centuries and its roots
can be traced back to specific time periods and events. Wade explains where hookup culture
originated, how it became so prominent in universities and how it impacts the youth of today.
This book is very insightful into the everyday lives of university and college students living in
this concept of hookup culture. The book is easy to follow and very well written. The real life
stories from students incorporated into the book made it easier to connect with and easy to see in
your own life.
An important aspect to retain from this book is that “hookup culture enables inequalities
and sexual violence” (Wade, 2017, p. 204). Although some people enjoy what they receive from
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hookup culture, Wade accurately portrays the dangers and limitations of hookup culture and how
it ruins the educational experience you should come to college for. These hazardous sides of
hookup culture are what I will be focusing on in this essay. Based off of the information within
the book and my own experience in university, I will analyze the key issues caused by hookup
culture and the clearly distinguished negative side effects this phenomenon has on youth today. I
will argue this by looking at the gendered, racialized and classed ideas that emerge so discreetly
from this nationwide phenomenon. More specifically, I will use concepts including misogyny,
racialization, the corporate campus, urbanization and the hidden curriculum to debate and
explore Wades excellent arguments. As Wade said in her book, hookup culture makes some feel
like an “outsider within” and makes others feel entitled to a “license to grope” (Wade, 2017, p.
95). With this in mind, we have to stop and ask ourselves; is hookup culture really worth it?
By 1920, half of Americans lived in urban locations and these dense concentrations of
people enabled the first mass modern entertainment including jazz music, dance halls and
ulesue shos Wade, 2017, p. 58). Urbanism, according to Louis Wirth, is the acceptance of
cities creating unique living experiences for individuals (Little et al, 2013, p. 621). Relating to
this, suburbanism is referred to as a result of women returning to the domestic sphere after
WWII, where the typical gender roles emerged from this feminine construct (Little et al, 2013,
p. 623). This eolutio i soiet led to the eatio of the date hih shifted the etie
dynamic of relationships as we knew it. Urbanization in Canada flourished after the
industrialization period, increasing percentages of Canadians living in cities from 19% (1871) to
49 percent by 1920 (Little et al, 2013, p. 621). Courtship originated as a female dominated
concept where women would invite men to their home and were the decision makers of
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whether or not the bachelor would pass the barriers and go steady with her. In what was
ko as the oaig teties the etie foudatio of this feale-centric relationship
shifted towards the men. The beginning of what is known as the corporate city allowed for
more economic businesses (suburban shopping malls) to emerge rather than industrial
businesses, allowing for this new era of courtship (Little et al, 2013, p. 621). The date allowed
them to control women by asking them out and then being in charge of paying for the date.
This concept, once a women empowering field, has lasted as a male privileged ideal which is
being negatively reflected on college and university campuses. Due to these unique living
epeiees hih eeged fo the ua eighohoods i the ’s, oe ega to t
and impress men in order to keep them. After the great depression and WWII, the famous
shotage of e left the oe feelig helpless ad despeate to keep a stead, oitted
relationship with a man. Thus, the following eras of hyper sexuality and women as sexual
objects began.
As we can see in this book, the idea that men are dominant over women in the hookup
culture is evident. Misogyny is defined as personal, social and cultural manifestations of the
hatred of girls and women (Little et al, 2013, p. 257). These derogatory ideals towards women
were blown out of proportion when they began to use their bodies as a type of currency and
attempted to keep a a’s attetio, as eal as the ’s. Today, we see slightly receding
amounts of this objectification, however, women still feel obligated to use a hookup as a form
of exchange or gratitude to blow off the guilt from receiving a favour from a man. Even if you
ae’t hookig up, thee’s no escaping hookup ultue ote oe female student (Wade, 2017,
p. 91). Sex on campus is not ol see as a pleasue, it’s see as a esoue, a oodity and a
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Document Summary
American hookup is an excellent novel written by associate professor of sociology, lisa. This book touches on many issues regarding hookup culture on college and university campuses. Throughout its entirety, hookup culture is referred to as stressful, unavoidable and yet, exhilarating. Although everybody experiences this culture uniquely, wade explores the different categories of people within this culture and how their university experiences are differently impacted. I never noticed how prominent this idea of hookup culture was until i realized that it was an epidemic sweeping nations and not only in my university. The book is very diverse making it extremely easy for anyone to relate to. Wade covered every type of personality and situation which could arise from hookup culture, allowing any reader to find themselves identifying with a character from the book, based on their own personal experiences. As wade excellently puts it, love has diversified, sex can too (wade,
