Séminaire : Sexual Nonconformity in Modern Philosophy (17th-19th centuries) / "Les "irrégularités sexuelles" dans la philosophie moderne (17e-19e siècles)"
Organisé par Aurélie Knüfer et Carrie Shanafelt (Lecturer of c18-19 British and American Literature at Yeshiva University).
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOf8MBm320liBRiYfu1ksdVxx_vUOl...
How did modern philosophers conceptualize “sexual irregularities,” whether to defend or condemn them? To what extent can we say that they contributed to the emergence of a scientia sexualis (Foucault)? What do their euphemisms, circumlocutions, and even their silences reveal?
The aim of this online seminar will be to collectively examine texts by 17th- to 19th-century authors through the lens of their theorization (or lack thereof) of “non-conforming,”“unnatural,” and “abnormal” sexualities. We will also explore how these issues subtly shape so-called feminist theories regarding their conception of women, marriage, and procreation. More generally, we will consider the methods needed to explore this still relatively unexplored field. Following a brief presentation (approximately 10-15 minutes) by a presenter of a text of their choice—a presentation aimed at contextualizing the text, proposing interpretive hypotheses, and outlining some challenges—the sessions will be devoted to a group discussion of the text, its author, and methodological and hermeneutical questions. The sessions are intended to present work in progress, rather than completed formal projects. Each text (or selection of texts), ranging from a few pages to a chapter, will be sent in advance of the session to allow everyone time to work on them.
These sessions, which will last about an hour, will be held about once a month. Their goal will be to share our experiences, methods, and challenges in order to build a research collective focused on these issues. Ultimately, we would like to organize a conference at Paul-Valéry University in Montpellier (France) by 2028 or 2029.
Our first seminar meeting will be on Thursday, 21 January 2027 (9:30am EST/3:30pm CET), with a text presented by Aurélie Knüfer. If you would like to receive information about our online seminar meetings, please enter your name, email, and affiliation below. If you are interested in presenting a text for seminar discussion, let us know. We will not be recording these sessions, as they are intended to support unpublished work in progress. If you have any questions, please contact us:
Carrie Shanafelt, Assistant Professor of English, Yeshiva University (US), carrie.shanafelt@yu.edu
Aurélie Knüfer, Maîtresse de conférences en philosophie, Université de Montpellier Paul-Valéry (France), Institut Universitaire de France, aurelie.knufer@umpv.fr.
Plus d'infos : aurelie.knufer@umpv.fr
Dernière mise à jour : 01/10/2026