The history of sexual pathology from the nineteenth and into the twentieth century in German-speaking Europe continues to be a source of scholarly debate, especially when it comes to questions of methodology and theoretical frameworks. The slash in the title of this seminar ('of/on') implies a dual purpose. On the one hand the seminar encourages participants to present research on historical theories of sexual pathology (from Heinrich Hössli to Richard von Krafft-Ebing to Otto Weininger). At the same time participants are invited to bring with them questions and ideas about theories on the history sexual pathology, that is to say, theoretical and/or methodological frameworks used to analyze the history of sexual pathology and perversions, be it a Marxist-materialist approach, queer-feminist, post-structuralist, or literary sociological. Whether scholars scrutinize the racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic premises of historical theories or whether they are concerned with building innovative methodological apparatuses for investigating the pathologization of certain desires, theories of and on sexual pathology often generate tensions due to epistemological, political, social, and personal differences. The goal of this seminar is to bring together scholars working on this volatile area of cultural history in order to develop and exchange ideas about theoretical approaches to the history of sexual pathology. Rather than swapping anecdotes about archaic and contemporary practices of corporeal and social control mechanisms against sexual perversions, the seminar will look at questions of methodology and theory both among participants and in some prominent works of research on the topic. Some of the questions guiding the seminar might
include: How do scholars position themselves in terms of the politics of sexual pathology, especially in terms of historical scholarship concerning desires still considered pathological today? How do anachronistic concepts of sexual pathology facilitate or impede historical argumentation? And what trends in current literary and cultural studies more broadly might open up new possibilities for our own research? The seminar also has the goal of bringing together members from a vibrant community of scholars working on issues of the history of sexuality within German Studies worldwide and at various stages in their academic careers.
include: How do scholars position themselves in terms of the politics of sexual pathology, especially in terms of historical scholarship concerning desires still considered pathological today? How do anachronistic concepts of sexual pathology facilitate or impede historical argumentation? And what trends in current literary and cultural studies more broadly might open up new possibilities for our own research? The seminar also has the goal of bringing together members from a vibrant community of scholars working on issues of the history of sexuality within German Studies worldwide and at various stages in their academic careers.