Sociologists have studied sexual labour in a variety of ways: as a form of deviant behaviour, as a particular type of gender relation, and as a distinct occupational sector. This course explores the sociology of sexual labour; the historical and legal contexts of sex industries; health and safety; media representations; online interactions; the emergence of sex worker organizations; and the intersections of private belief, public morality, consumer capitalism and the organization of justice. In addition to providing an overview of theoretical and methodological paradigms, the course is grounded in a comparative perspective that critically examines a variety of current events.