SOW-VSB9052
Two centuries of sex. A history of sexuality in Europe, 1800-2000
Course infoSchedule
Course moduleSOW-VSB9052
Credits (ECTS)5
Category-
Language of instructionEnglish
Offered byRadboud University; Faculty of Social Sciences; Social Sciences;
Lecturer(s)
Lecturer
dr. S.P. Dudink
Other course modules lecturer
Contactperson for the course
W.P. Meerstadt, MA
Other course modules lecturer
Academic year2017
Period
PER2  (13/11/2017 to 04/02/2018)
Starting block
PER2
Course mode
full-time
Remarks-
Registration using OSIRISYes
Course open to students from other facultiesYes
Pre-registrationNo
Waiting listNo
Placement procedure-
Aims
  • Students are introduced to central themes in the modern European history of sexuality
  • Students learn to think about contemporary ambivalences around sexuality from a historical perspective
  • Students are introduced to the use of primary sources in the historical study of sexuality
Content
At the start of the 21st century sex seems to be everywhere. This omnipresence of sexuality in our lives and societies is often seen as a sign of the liberation of sexuality from all forms of repression to which it was subjected in the past. However, it also produces anxieties, for instance about the commercialization of sex, about where to draw the limits to sexual liberty, and about the dark sides of sexuality such as violence and disease. In this course we try to explain how we ended up in this contradictory situation. We study, first, why sexuality became such a central issue in European societies in the course of the 19th century. We then concentrate on several aspects of the modern history of sexuality (such as birth control, prostitution, homosexuality, sexual revolution) and link these to general themes in European history (the making of modern science, industrialization, nationalism, colonialism and empire, total war, youth culture). Throughout the course we will use historical primary (pamphlets, novels, diaries, pictures, movies, scientific studies, archival material) to guide us through the paradoxical modern history of sexuality.
Additional comments
Language of instruction: English

Levels
Bachelor 2/3

Test information
Weekly assignments, a paper and a takehome examEnrollment (exam and course) through https://portal.ru.nl/home

Prerequisites
At least a full year of prior study in the social sciences or humanities is recommended

Contact information
s.dudink@maw.ru.nl

Required materials
Articles/texts to read
Literature is available a week before the start of the course on a USB flash drive (bring a laptop!) at Thomas van Aquinostraat 8.02.10

Instructional modes
Lectures and seminars
Attendance MandatoryYes

General
Combination of lectures and seminars

Tests
Take-home exam
Test weight1
OpportunitiesBlock PER2, Block PER3