The Summer Institute was begun in 1995, and has enjoyed four years of unparalleled success. The Institute is an academic summer program open to students from around the world. We are encouraging advanced students, primarily PhD and MA students in the socio-cultural sciences with a serious interest in sexuality study, to apply for participation in the Fifth Annual Institute, July 10 - August 3, 2000.

This year's Amsterdam Summer Institute on Sexuality, Culture and Society, promises to be the best learning experience of all. We are encouraging advanced students, primarily PhD and MA students in the socio-cultural sciences with a serious interest in sexuality study, to apply for participation in the Fifth Annual Institute, July 10 - August 3, 2000.

The summer institute in 1997, 1998 and 1999 featured 75 students of 21 countries (American, European and Third World background), all of whom took courses in a variety of areas dealing with the anthropology of sexual cultures, the social history of sexuality, the history of erotic art, the social theory of sexuality, and a number of additional areas germane to human sexuality. These students had a wonderful learning experience, and we are gratified not only by their responses to us, but also by their recommendations that their peers apply for admission to this year's Institute.

We expect the 2000 class to be in the range of approximately 30 students, which is a small but dynamic size for intellectual and social activities. The classes of the Institute are taught in the intensive manner of small seminars, with group discussions, lecturers and guest lecturers by prominent people in the field. We try to limit the size of the seminars to small discussion groups of 15 or less, to enable close and detailed discussion with our visiting professor and with fellow students.

This year's intensive research seminar will be jointly taught by Dr. Carole Vance (Columbia University) and Dr. Han ten Brummelhuis (University of Amsterdam). The seminar will provide a context for the creative exploration of research studies in interdisciplinary perspective. Participants present their projects and receive comments from faculty members and fellow students. Practical research implications of the use of different theories of sexuality, including the cultural constructionist, historical and essentialist perspectives, are critically discussed. Research methodologies relevant to the students' projects are examined; assistance is provided for analysis and write up of results; intensive discussions of practical issues, such as research ethics, highlight the presentations.

Please feel free to redistribute this announcement. For more information visit our web-site with the latest information at: http://www.pscw.uva.nl/InternationalSchool/SummerInstitute/