HIST3211

Even today, European attitudes toward sex can be very different than those of Americans. And in the past, they were even more different than our contemporary perspectives. For instance, we will explore how the ancient Romans saw sexuality as dominance, and how the early Christians defined sex as original sin. The Enlightenment also examined sex in new scientific ways. Queer subcultures emerged in cities, and lesbians used coded languages to communicate desires. Imperialists imposed western definitions on trans people in colonial contexts. In the 20th century, revolutionary regimes wanted to change sexual cultures, the Nazi regulation of sex as part of its racist regime. Today, issues of sexuality are entangled in present-day debates over immigration.

This course depends heavily on reading and discussion. The material in this class will be challenging, sometimes explicit, and sometimes disturbing. We will examine historians’ and theorists’ arguments about different approaches to sexual ethics and test them by reading primary sources to see how people thought about these questions during their own eras. We will examine the philosophical, religious and psychological basis of these ethical questions.

Students will come to this class with many different identities and experiences concerning sexuality; some will be new to the topics we discuss, and others will have been exposed to current debates and terminology. We will have open discussions with many different perspectives, and students are expected to respect each other’s identities and beliefs.

01911

Periodic Fall & Spring