This is a paperback reprint of a book originally published in January 1997. It is a provocative collection of essays that examines the relationship between nature and law, the "personal" and the "political". Some focus on the grey area where it is difficult to tell what, if anything, is "natural". Others focus on areas of human life that have frequently been thought to be natural rather than socially shaped, such as sexuality and the family. Each essay brings to the current debate the insights of a variety of disciplines - above all, philosophy, political science, and law. It will appeal to anyone interested in sexuality, gender, feminism, and the family.