Fears and fantasies

German sexual science and its research on African sexualities, 1890–1930

Bibliographic Data

ID18987195
AuthorsPaul Schrader (FernUniversität in Hagen, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume23
Issue1-2
Pages127-145
Publication date2020-02-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSexualities (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1363-4607 • E-ISSN: 1461-7382
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1363460718785109
OpenAlexW2915710318
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited19

German sexology at the turn of the 20th century extensively studied sexual practices in sub-Saharan Africa. Several scientists advocated the establishment of a new ‘sexual anthropology’ with Africa as its focus. By using historical discourse analysis as a methodological basis, this article seeks to reconstruct the development of this scientific discourse during the period from approximately 1890 to 1930 and to examine its main protagonists and further implications. As I will argue, the constant reference to sexual practices and gender relations of African societies not only contributed to a discourse which portrayed African societies as highly sexualized but also played a key role in the process of naturalization of sexuality during the named period of time

Aesthetics · German · Human sexuality · Naturalization · Population · Sexology · Sociology · African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues · European history and politics · Gender Studies · Historical Studies on Reproduction, Gender, Health, and Societal Changes · History

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