Histories of Sexuality: Antiquity to Sexual Revolution

Critical Histories of Subjectivity and Culture

by Stephen Garton

A history of sexuality runs the risk of confirming popular fears that academics are capable of ruining even the most simple of pleasures. This book, however, is written in the hope that histories of sexuality (although not necessarily this one) can enlighten and, occasionally, even delight. At their best such histories offer a means of investigating the clash of instinct and culture ― how seemingly timeless and natural behaviours shape and are in turn shaped by history. Sexual practices may persist through time but history also illuminates how sex and sexuality are surprisingly mutable. This capacity of history to unsettle and surprise is evident in many of the works discussed here. In less than 40 years the history of sexuality, as a definable area of scholarly enterprise, has grown from a few works describing past attitudes and behaviours into an enormously rich field that sustains its own journal, a number of monograph series and countless seminars, conferences, articles and books. Moreover, this field has moved well beyond accounts of exotic ideas and strange obsessions to embrace sophisticated analyses of such issues as subjectivity, identity, power, desire, gender and embodiment. Through these studies we now have a much more detailed account of past sexual ideas, beliefs, practices, fantasies and struggles.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Sexuality, LGBT, Sociology

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Stephen Garton is an Australian historian and Professor of History at the University of Sydney.

Reviews

[Ana Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um livro que nos permite refletir sobre a forma como a cultura influencia as nossas crenças sobre a sexualidade. Além disso, concluímos que ainda há imenso para descobrir em relação ao corpo humano, dado que a cada século são feitas novas descobertas que ridicularizam as crenças anteriores. Deixo a nota que o autor tentou ao máximo recolher informação credível e comparável para que o leitor tirasse as suas próprias conclusões.

Alguns tópicos sobre o livro:

Na Grécia antiga, os homens tinham de afirmar a autoridade sobre outros para reivindicarem a cidadania. O sexo, como a guerra, era um domínio de representação do estatuto social" -62

Para Galeno - médico grego do século II - homens e mulheres partilhavam um tipo de corpo, sendo as mulheres de facto homens que não se tinham desenvolvido (o útero era considerado um pénis que não viera fora do corpo). - P. 71


"Para os vitorianos a modalidade sexual da mulher era baseada na transcendência do sexo, a do homem estava enraizada na natureza."

[Robert Narojek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book which, in an incredibly reliable way, devoid of all "ahs and ohs", presents the development of human sexuality from the perspective of history, at least within the ancient Greek culture, up to the modern understanding of this in the so-called “western" countries.

In my opinion, reading this book is highly recommended for those who do not want to be "ignorant" in discussions with people - mostly pseudo-religious moralists - attacking everyone's inalienable rights to experience their sexuality and gender identity.

[Canton Winer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful overview of the construction of sexuality from a historical (Western) lens. Particular focus on Victorianism and Foucault.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically this is an outline of various historiographical traditions (and all the major historians in the field) with regards to sexuality... I had to read it for class. It was really useful. Also, like the unit in general, made me think about lots of aspects of sexuality that had never really crossed my mind before.

I didn't actually read ALL of it but I'm putting it on the "read" shelf anyway because I read enough and I don't think I'm going to read the rest (seeing as that'd involve re-borrowing it from the library). Also sorry about the inarticulacy of this "review"; I'm sick...

[Aika Artemisia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent continuity and an easy to folly read for the laymen.

[Cobramor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too academic and too centered on the west