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The History of Sexuality, Vol 1: An Introduction
The History of Sexuality Vol 1 An Introduction Author:Michel Foucault Rate this book — 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars — The History of Sexuality: An Introduction (The History of Sexuality #1) — by Michel Foucault, Robert Hurley (Translator) — 4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 · rating details · 11,138 ratings · 411 reviews — The History of... more » Sexuality is a trilogy by philosopher-historian Michel Foucault written between '76 & '84. Originally published in French, they're The Will to Knowledge (Histoire de la sexualité 1: la volonté de savoir), The Use of Pleasure (Histoire de la sexualité 2: l'usage des plaisirs) & The Care of the Self (Histoire de la sexualité 3: le souci de soi). They were published before Foucault's death in '84. The 1st, most referenced volume, The Will to Knowledge (previously known as An Introduction in English), translated in '77, focused on the last two centuries, & the functioning of sexuality as an analytics of power related to the emergence of a science of sexuality, & the emergence of biopower in the West. This volume questions the "repressive hypothesis", the widespread belief that we have, particularly since the 19th century, repressed sexual drives. He shows that what we think of as repression actually constituted sexuality as a core feature of our identities & produced a proliferation of discourse on sex.
Volume 1 points to a historical watershed marking attempts to control sexuality for communal stability. It highlights the Counter-Reformation, when the Church emphasised the need to attend confession often. It notes a shift in 19th century France from regarding people as subjects or citizens to a population, a scientific concept manipulated for economic reasons. This trend occurred with the Industrial Revolution.« less