From Sappho to De Sade: Moments in the History of Sexuality Book

The history of sexuality is a subject of increasing importance in the interpretation of past attitudes. Yet historians have only recently begun to study sexual practices and to establish that sexuality is not a biological constant but an ever-changing phenomenon, continuously being shaped by people themselves. Few sexual attitudes are immutable, and incest, homosexuality, pornography, and masturbation, for example, have been the subject of widely differing opinions at different periods of history. The contributors bring their expertise in ancient as well as medieval history, anthropology, modern history, and psychology to bear upon the history of sexuality. They explore various aspects of sexuality in successive periods: pederasty and lesbian love in antiquity, incest in the Middle Ages, sexual education during the Dutch Republic, voyeurism in the rococo, prostitution in Vienna around 1900, and the invention of sexology. This book should be of interest to students and teachers of history, sociology, cultural studies and social work.Read More