Other chapters included in the first edition of Porn Studies include "Revisiting dirty looks," "Hard to swallow: Hard-core pornography on screen" and "Gonzo, trannys and teens - current trends in US adult content production."

In a fascinating paper about the use of tagging in porn, the research team found that "massage" and "Danish" are used across many different and more specific clusters of search terms online, including age ("milfs," "matures"), practices ("spanking", "facesitting") and context ("beach," "voyeur").

In another interesting piece, the journal identifies five ways in which fantasy and porn are connected. These are: as a magnifying glass (conscious desire), as a mirror to self (as a means of looking at our response to certain things), as an emporium (a world of possibilities), as a journey (a visit to distant realm of desire), and as an alternative self (what a person may or may not be).

So next time to feel the need to reflect on the true meaning and psychology behind porn, you know where to go. As the editors of Porn Studies say, "Many have already made up their minds as to its contents and its politics; we will either disappoint or confirm their second-guessing. [But] this the beginning, we hope, of new conversations, of new ways of conceptualizing the terrain ... We are here and hope to be here for some considerable time."

Read the debut edition of Porn Studies free online here.

Words: Anna Brech, Photos: Rex Features

World's first 'Porn Studies' journal explores feminist porn and most searched terms