The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (DGfS) from 1950 to the 1970s. On the relationship of sexology and public discourses about sexuality.

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Peer Briken; Professor Dr. Axel Schildt (†)
• Subject Area: Modern and Contemporary History
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 275804718

This research project focuses on the early decades of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (DGfS) which was founded in 1950. It will examine the formation and establishment of this scientific organization from the 1950s to the 1970s. The project will shed light on the efforts of DGfS-protagonists to create an institutional base for sexology in the early Federal Republic of Germany and it will examine the role of the DGfS in public and political debates. Based on a multitude of sources, the interdependencies between sexology and general developments in society and politics shall be analyzed. The DGfS serves as a probe which is used to trace the link between sexology, public and political discourses about sexuality - as discussed in the literature and by contemporary sexologists themselves.The project also strives to show how sexology influenced the public and political attempts to define sexual "normality". Determining sexual "normality" was not least a matter of defining sexual health and sexual disease. Which position was adopted by the scientists of DGfS in reference to questions of "healthy" and "sick" sexuality? In which way did they participate in constructing these definitions and normalizing certain types of behavior in West German society? Did the position and the role of sexologists change during times of social change and transformation of society - also in reference to historical continuities in sexology (National Socialism)? How did the sexologists handle ambivalent tendencies within the DGfS and how did the general profile of this scientific organization evolve from the interaction of aims, hopes and ideas of individual members?

• DFG Programme: Research Grants