From Deviance to Discipline: A Cultural History of the Body in Late 19th and Early 20th Century Western Europe
In this course students will explore varying modes of constructing the body—the diseased body, the criminal body, the racialized body, the machine body, and more—in late 19th and early 20th century Western Europe. Readings will be framed against the tumultuous historical backdrop of this period, characterized by technological and scientific innovation, the explosive rise of consumer culture, the so-called “scramble for Africa,” and two ravaging world wars. In order to understand the body as a cultural artifact students will closely examine literary, medical, political, and visual primary texts and will draw on secondary materials from such diverse fields as literary criticism, social history, cultural anthropology, and cultural theory. 3 hrs. sem.