Queer Modern Europe

Undergraduate / Graduate

Queer Modern Europe" provides an overview of queer European history from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Beginning with early sexologists, we will explore topics ranging from the scandals of fin-de-siècle metropoles to the vibrant interwar era, from the devastation of two world wars to modern liberation movements. Students will analyze a diverse array of primary sources, including court transcripts, medical texts, postcards, films, and manifestos. Rather than seeking fixed or essential identities, the course will encourage students to explore how ideas of sexuality and queerness were constructed in specific geographic and temporal contexts. Our focus on modern Europe will extend beyond its geographical boundaries, prompting students to consider Europe as a porous entity with complex, mutually constitutive relationships with the rest of the world. Throughout the term, we will also engage with contemporary works that draw inspiration from historical figures and events. We will consider how historians, filmmakers, and artists touch queer histories and ask what their methods and objectives reveal about the politics of queer historical storytelling. Course assignments will center on queer archives, allowing students to critically examine how the queer past is documented and represented. What kinds of questions can we ask of queer archival materials, and how can we use them to illuminate broader historical frameworks?