A new approach to the history of violence : : "sexual assault" and "sexual abuse" in Europe, 1500-1850 / / by Francisca Loetz ; translated by Rosemary Selle.

• Superior document: Studies in Central European Histories, Volume 60
• VerfasserIn: Loetz, Francisca (Historian),
• TeilnehmendeR: Selle, Rosemary Anne, 1949-
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, Netherlands ;, Boston, [Massachusetts] : : Brill,, 2015.; ©2015
• Year of Publication: 2015
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English; German
• Series: Studies in Central European histories ; Volume 60.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (217 pages) :; illustrations.

Up to now, historical research has treated violence mainly with reference to war, murder or massacre. Francisca Loetz argues for a new, complementary approach to history of violence as an interpersonal form of social action experienced as unacceptable behavior and aiming to subjugate the victim in everyday life. Analyzing cases of what the sources call “sexual assault” and “sexual abuse” in the city state of Zurich between 1500 and 1850, Loetz discusses fundamental methodological problems such as: how can violence be defined as a concept? What makes violence what it is in a given society? Why is early modern “sexual assault” and “sexual abuse” not equivalent to modern rape and abuse? How does Zurich compare with pre-modern Europe?

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material -- 1 Getting to Grips—Methodological Clarifications -- 2 Rape and Sexual Abuse in Zurich—Empirical Findings -- 3 The Case for Historicizing Violence—Programmatic Perspectives -- Appendix: Tables -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index.