Introduction

The third part of this book consists of three chapters. The first, by Deven and Meredith, provides a critical overview of Ira Reiss’s comparative anthro-pology and shows its relevance to understanding sexual behaviour. Reiss’s approach is used as a departure point for their own explanation of why individuals and partners adopt behaviours that place them at risk for HIV infection. Elements of other theoretical approaches, like the sexual scripts from Gagnon, complement Reiss’s theory for a better articulation of the sociocultural context and the actual interactions between the sexual partners.