Polyamory & Monogamy as Strategic Identities: Part 1

Sexuality researcher Margaret Robinson presents her dissertation paper on polyamory and monogamy in this 10-minute video (part 1 of 2) that explores the definitions and inter-relationships between polyamorous and monogamous couples. She begins by discussing growing social and cultural views that polyamory should be defined as a sexual orientation (to enhance legal protections from discrimination, among other reasons). There is also research that argues polyamory could be genetic. But Robinson suggests instead that it is a strategic identity — in her words, essentially a choice made by men and women for a particular sexual, political or legal reason. She also discusses her research methods and how she originally intended to compare polyamorous relationships with monogamous relationships — however, she found there were such shifting definitions of polyamory that her original intent proved impossible.