Empires of Sex

Gender and the Body in the Early Modern

If gender and sexuality are culturally constructed, how did they develop historically? This course considers the global history of sexuality, gender, and the body from antiquity to the French Revolution. Recognizing that mixing among humans was a powerful and potentially dangerous tool for developing new populations, empires and privileged individuals sought to remake society for their own ends; thus, the sexed body took on scientific and political interest. Topics include: demography, sexual violence, intimacy, childbirth, the science of reproduction, homosexuality, intersex, and transgender individuals in a historical context. Units emphasize Renaissance Italy, Ottoman Empire, Colonial Latin America, Protestant Reformation, and the French Revolution.

Survey.