Review Essay: Claudia Bruns & Tilmann Walter (Hrsg.) (2004). Von Lust und Schmerz. Eine Historische Anthropologie der Sexualität

Abstract

This compilation contains eleven articles con cerned with the description of sexual practices. Here, sexu ality is defined as a human experience, as a specific part of the quotidian. The focus is on the 19th century but three ar ticles deal with early modern history. Through examples such as hysteria, homosexuality, racial hygienics, family planning, Jewish sexuality and rejuvenation [Verj?ngungs kuren], discourses of the self and the other are analysed within their scientific and political contexts. Most of the au thors come to the conclusion that due to the lack of personal documentation of individually experienced sexuality, the different ways of dealing with the topic can only be retraced through sources such as reports of court trials, scientific or medical texts, and publications by specific pressure groups. This compilation nicely illustrates this linguistic staging, Address all communications to: Volker Barth, 17, rue Fauvet, 75018 Paris, France; e-mail: barth@sensomatic.com. First published: Barth, Volker (2005, Februar). Rezension zu: Claudia Bruns & Tilmann Walter (Hrsg.) (2004). Von Lust und Schmerz. Eine Historische Anthro pologie der Sexualit?t [18 Abs?tze]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung /Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 6(2), Art. 6. Available at: http://\vww.qualitative-re^