Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Sexuality
(4,539 words)

1. Introduction

Sexuality is a relatively recent topic of historical research. Until the 1970s, the general assumption was that sexuality was a biological phenomenon fulfilling the purpose of procreation, and that it was therefore a historical constant. Without doubt, the historical perspectivization of sexuality achieved its breakthrough with Michel Foucault’s study L’histoire de la sexua…

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Jarzebowski, Claudia, “Sexuality”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 01 October 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_027452>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180208



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