VVZ API is not affiliated with ETH Zurich. Data might be outdated or incorrect. Please view the official ETHZ Vorlesungsverzeichnis for binding information.
Deviance: Transgressions and Taboo in the Colonial World, ca. 1800-1940
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:38:26
Abstract
This course offers students a historical perspective on how the designation of behaviour, persons or situations as deviant served as an apparatus to enforce social control. Using race, class, and gender as analytical lenses, this seminar focuses on the construction and regulation of deviance in architecture, physical spaces, science, and scientific discourse.
Objective
Students approach the history of colonialism through the lens of deviance in various contexts, especially—though not exclusively—in South, South-east and East Asia, from around 1800 to 1940. Specifically, students are sensitized to the circumstances under which behaviour, persons or situations were constructed as deviant and the ways in which such designation was used to reinforce or challenge colonial hierarchies by different actors. At the same time, students become aware of the connections between construction of deviance in colonial settings and global developments. This course is structured thematically and uses theoretical texts from multiple disciplines, as well as empirical case studies. By the conclusion of the course, students will be able to a) develop new perspectives on the history of colonialism; b) familiarize themselves with the relevant topics and themes examined by recent scholarship; c) understand how norms and deviance were defined in different historical contexts; d) think critically about how norms and deviation are defined in their own disciplines and today’s society.
Content
Offering students a refreshing approach to the social history of colonialism through the lens of deviance, the course critically engages with the discourse surrounding deviance and how deviance at once reaffirmed and challenged colonial hierarchies. To do so, it considers important developments in the history of the modern world, such as the eugenics movement in the late 19th century, global anti-vice and anti-trafficking campaigns, and the medicalization of alcoholism, addiction, and insanity. The course also looks at how scientific discourse had been incorporated into the discussions surrounding what deviance was and how to regulate or ‘treat’ deviance. The examination of the role of science in shaping deviance and the responses to it intends to foster students’ awareness of the historical continuities in today’s discussions surrounding deviant behaviour, such as homelessness and drug addiction, and how they are reflected in the built environment.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DS , DR , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Registration & Places
- Max Places
- 20
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar | Deviance: Transgressions and Taboo in the Colonial World, ca. 1800-1940 |
|
14 h semesterly |
Offered In
-
Science in Perspective (In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses.)
-
Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence (SiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments.)
-
-
-
-
Doctorate Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (More Information at: )