HIST 340 - From Patriarchy to Family Romance: The Family and Sexuality in Early Modern Europe

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

(Same as WFQS 340) Between 1500-1800, the family was very much a public institution, the keystone of social and political order. This course examines the material conditions of families: childhood, paternal authority, motherhood, and sexuality. At the center of our study is an investigation of how, between 1500 and 1800, the prevalent ideal of the family, which was defined by property and lineage, gave way to an image of the family as a private and intimate sphere. Three factors contributed to this shift: The Protestant Reformation, the expansion of the state, and a rise in literacy which introduced new reading and writing practices. In examining the relationship of the family to larger historical trends, this course also explores how the family provides an alternative lens in the study of history, allowing us to see alternative narratives to events like revolution and colonialism. Sumita Choudhury.

One 2-hour period.

Course Format: CLS