Uncut explores the significance of the foreskin in contemporary culture

The “uncut” penis is viewed by some as attractive or erotic, and by others as ugly or undesirable. Secular parents of male infants worry about whether or not the foreskin should be removed so their little boy can grow up to “look like dad” or to avoid imagined bullying in the locker room. Medical experts and public health organizations argue back and forth about whether circumcision is medically necessary, while “intactivists” advocate that removing an infant’s foreskin without their consent is mutilation.

Uncut: A Cultural Analysis of the Foreskin takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the foreskin and its contentious position in contemporary Anglo-American culture. From language to art, from religion to medicine and public health, Uncut is a provocative book that asks us to ask ourselves what we know and don’t know about this seemingly small piece of skin.

Drawing on all these threads, Jonathan A. Allan leads us through the history and cultural construction of the foreskin—from Michelangelo’s David to parenting manuals, from nineteenth-century panic over masturbation to foreskin restoration—to ultimately ask: what is the future of the foreskin?

Jonathan Allan is Canada Research Chair in Queer Theory and Associate Professor of Gender and Women's Studies and English and Creative Writing at Brandon University. He is the author of Reading from Behind: A Cultural Analysis of the Anus, the first book in the Exquisite Corpse series.

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“A balanced account of modern ideas about the foreskin and circumcision.” —Sander L. Gilman, Emory University

“A thorough exploration of the most misunderstood part of the male anatomy by a major authority on masculinity. An interdisciplinary rosebud!” —Thomas Waugh, Concordia University

“Accessible and engaging, Uncut offers a wide-ranging analysis of the cultural history of the foreskin and is a welcome addition to contemporary conversations on masculinity and embodiment.” —Laura M. Carpenter, author of Virginity Lost and co-editor of Sex for Life

“How did the intact penis become ‘abnormal’? How did the foreskin end up as a morsel on the fetish menu? How has this modest fold of flesh accrued such disproportionate significance? With a sure hand, Jonathan A. Allan dissects the biomedical, religious, aesthetic, and erotic meanings of the human prepuce.” —Tim Dean, author of Unlimited Intimacy: Reflections on the Subculture of Barebacking

“The tiny piece of skin at the end of the human penis is subject to huge debate. Angst around the foreskin and its removal, on babies or adults, crosses cultural and national boundaries. Jonathan A. Allan cuts through the debates in this excellent book. With scholarly rigor he explains why we continue to worry about circumcision and why that wee bit of skin is still so very important." —Meredith Jones, Professor of Gender and Cultural Studies, Brunel University London

“In wake of bodily autonomy politics across the globe, Allan provides an insightful, thorough, and provocative unravelling of foreskin aesthetics and circumcision practices.” —Andrea Waling, author of Exploring the Cultural Phenomenon of the Dick Pic

“Drawing on history of medicine, sociology of science, gender and sexuality studies, and cultural analysis, Allan brings a refreshingly calm and even keel to a tumultuous topic. By shifting attention away from circumcision and toward the foreskin, he adds insightful new dimensions to a centuries-old—but increasingly timely and topical—debate.” —Brian D. Earp

“Previous books on the foreskin have suffered from unquestioned cultural assumptions around ethics, sexuality, and aesthetics. But a new wave of critical circumcision studies has arrived, marked by this monumental yet accessible scholarly work. With wit, erudition, and style, Allan teaches us to read the foreskin as a cultural object—however you slice it.” —Jordan Osserman, author of Circumcision on the Couch

“Jonathan Allan has yet again produced a provocative and essential examination of the history of the foreskin. Through the lenses of multiple perspectives, Allan weaves together the natural and social sciences with the humanities and fine arts to create a compelling pathway through this intriguing and controversial topic. The result is both an expansive and detailed look at our fascination, repulsion, and yes, obsession, with this intimate body part and what it ultimately reveals about our own individual and sociocultural values.” —Lauren M. Sardi, Quinnipiac University