Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
  • Cited by 129
    • Show more authors
    • You may already have access via personal or institutional login
    • Select format
    • Publisher:
      Cambridge University Press
      Publication date:
      05 June 2012
      18 August 2011
      ISBN:
      9780511997075
      9780521870962
      9780521691437
      Dimensions:
      (228 x 152 mm)
      Weight & Pages:
      0.5kg, 240 Pages
      Dimensions:
      (228 x 152 mm)
      Weight & Pages:
      0.38kg, 240 Pages
    You may already have access via personal or institutional login
  • Selected: Digital
    Add to cart View cart Buy from Cambridge.org

    Book description

    This original book brings a fascinating and accessible account of the tumultuous history of sexuality in Europe from the waning of Victorianism to the collapse of Communism and the rise of European Islam. Although the twentieth century is often called 'the century of sex' and seen as an era of increasing liberalization, Dagmar Herzog instead emphasizes the complexities and contradictions in sexual desires and behaviours, the ambivalences surrounding sexual freedom, and the difficulties encountered in securing sexual rights. Incorporating the most recent scholarship on a broad range of conceptual problems and national contexts, the book investigates the shifting fortunes of marriage and prostitution, contraception and abortion, queer and straight existence. It analyzes sexual violence in war and peace, the promotion of sexual satisfaction in fascist and democratic societies, the role of eugenics and disability, the politicization and commercialization of sex, and processes of secularization and religious renewal.

    Reviews

    'Everything you always wanted to know about the 'century of sex' - here it is, beautifully written, admirably strong in its analysis, compelling in its plea for different narratives that add ambivalences, conflicts and shadow lines to what at first sight appears as a clear-cut story of liberalisation.'

    Ute Fervet - Director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin

    'A masterly synthesis of sexuality's most extreme century. This virtuoso account always links sex to politics, but its real merit is to give emotions, bodies, and pleasures a history.'

    Philipp Sarasin - Professor of Modern History, University of Zurich

    'There is not [a] better comparativist than Herzog to illuminate the unexpected twists and turns of this composite history - a landmark in European synthesis and a must-read for all historians of sexuality.'

    Nancy F. Cott - Jonathan Trumbull Professor of American History, Harvard University

    'Herzog develops a sweeping analysis of the central role of sexual practices, cultures, politics, and violence in a century of war, mass mobilization, and wrenching social conflict and change.'

    George Chauncey - Professor of History, Yale University

    Refine List

    Actions for selected content:

    Select all | Deselect all
    • View selected items
    • Export citations
    • Download PDF (zip)
    • Save to Kindle
    • Save to Dropbox
    • Save to Google Drive

    Save Search

    You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

    Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
    ×

    Contents

    Metrics

    Altmetric attention score

    Full text views

    Total number of HTML views: 0
    Total number of PDF views: 0 *
    Loading metrics...

    Book summary page views

    Total views: 0 *
    Loading metrics...

    * Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

    Usage data cannot currently be displayed.

    Accessibility standard: Unknown

    Why this information is here

    This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

    Accessibility Information

    Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this book is currently unknown and may be updated in the future.