Paedophilia: The Radical Case
Paedophilia: The Radical Case was first published in England by Peter Owen Press (London, 1980), and then America by LGBTQ+ press Alyson Publications (Boston, 1982), with a foreword by Gay historian Prof. Hubert Kennedy. It is the first book written by Thomas O'Carroll (b. 1945), the most well-known Chairperson of the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) in the UK, an organization originally founded in Scotland by Gay activists Michael Hanson and Ian Campbell Dunn.
O'Carroll presents an ethical case for the social acceptance of non-violent, mutually willing sexual relationships between legally defined adults and children. He draws on a wide arrays of academic sources from disciplines such as anthropology, sexology, and the philosophy of children's rights, to argue his case. The author outlines PIE's proposals for law reform, including an effective age of consent at 12 years for intercourse, based on a complaints system (similar to a system which existed in the Netherlands until 2002). The book contains a history of the 'paedophile' / intergenerational rights movement in Britain and abroad (especially the Netherlands), as well as attacks on PIE by the media and far-right activists.
Described as "a well researched and articulate book" by Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger (Guardian, 14 March 1981), this first major work by O'Carroll divided reviewers sharply. In the academic world, it has stood the test of time with over 90 Google Scholar citations by 2012. For many years, it was a recommended text for postgraduates at Cambridge University's Institute of Criminology.
The pre-publication endorsements for the British edition of the book notably include early British gay academic and pioneer of sociology Dr. Ken Plummer, The Director of Education for The National Institute of Social Work Peter Righton, famous campaigner for homosexual rights Michael Schofield, and Principal Lecturer of Social Work John Hart.
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1980 blurb -
Features Ken Plummer, Peter Righton, Michael Schofield, and John Hart.
