The Emergence of Sexuality

Join Jamie Warren at the beautiful Assemblage Nomad space as we look closely at Foucault's claims about sexual repression, societal norms, and the notion of the 'self' in modern life.

The Emergence of Sexuality

Jamie Warren at The Assemblage | NoMad

Fri, Jun 14 at 7 p.m. | 90 minutes

In his groundbreaking study, The History of Sexuality: Volume 1, philosopher and historian Michel Foucault provocatively argued that the thing we call sexuality, the supposed essence of our sexual core, our desires, our selves, is in fact “a name that can be given to a historical construct.” In this Olio, we will discuss the significance of Foucault’s claim that sexuality is not an essential and fixed quality inherent to our being, but rather the result of historical shifts in power and knowledge. We will examine how and why it is we have come to think of sexuality as a “problem of truth,” as a secret to be revealed.

We will look closely at the philosopher’s controversial claim that at the very moment we imagine sexuality as being repressed, driven under, made to hide, it was indeed “exploding,” “inciting,” and proliferating unto every aspect of human experience. We will also ask ourselves about the value of Foucault’s work for challenging our own ideas about our personal desires, our identity categories, and our cherished notions of the self.

Teacher: Jamie Warren

Jamie Warren has a Ph.D. in American History from Indiana University, and she is an Assistant Professor at BMCC-CUNY where she teaches American history, the history of women and gender, and women’s studies. Her research focuses on slavery in antebellum South with a particular focus on death, the body, and the philosophy of history.

Venue: The Assemblage | NoMad

Add to Calendar June 14, 20197 p.m. June 14, 2019 America/New_York Think Olio | The Emergence of Sexuality Join Jamie Warren at the beautiful Assemblage Nomad space as we look closely at Foucault's claims about sexual repression, societal norms, and the notion of the 'self' in modern life. None

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