Fears and fantasies: German sexual science and its research on African sexualities, 1890–1930

Abstract

German sexology at the turn of the 20th century extensively studied sexual practices in sub-Saharan Africa. Several scientists advocated the establishment of a new ‘sexual anthropology’ with Africa as its focus. By using historical discourse analysis as a methodological basis, this article seeks to reconstruct the development of this scientific discourse during the period from approximately 1890 to 1930 and to examine its main protagonists and further implications. As I will argue, the constant reference to sexual practices and gender relations of African societies not only contributed to a discourse which portrayed African societies as highly sexualized but also played a key role in the process of naturalization of sexuality during the named period of time.