The goal of this seminar is to critically engage with research outcomes as well as pedagogic approaches to sexuality in childhood and adolescence. After attending this course, students not only know main debates on the topic, but can also critically evaluate the diverse ways in which sexuality is approached in pedagogy.

The course focusses on the complex relationship between pedagogy and sexuality. The historical view shows that children's sexuality has, for a long time, mainly been addressed by pedagogy as a source of danger for morality, mind and body - a perspective that is still shaping public debates about sex education.

In the course, this negative perspective will be contrasted by current findings on sexual development and sexual identities in childhood and adolescence. A special focus is placed on the role of social (power) relationships and normativities in sexual development.

Against this background approaches, theories and methods of modern sex education are presented and their emancipatory potentials as well as possible pitfalls are discussed.

Lectures, in-class discussions on compulsory literature, group work

Term paper

At the beginning of the term a reader with compulsory reading will be provided on the eLearning platform of the course.

Further readings:

Henningsen, Anja, Tuider, Elisabeth, Timmermanns, Stefan (2016) Sexualpädagogik kontrovers. Weinheim: Beltz

Naß, Alexander et al. (2016) Geschlechtliche Vielfalt (er)leben: Trans*- und Intergeschlechtlichkeit in Kindheit, Adoleszenz und jungem Erwachsenenalter. Psychosozial-Verlag

Quindeau, Ilka, Brumlik, Micha (2012) Kindliche Sexualität. Beltz Juventa

Zimmerman, Jonathan (2015) Too hot to handle. A Global History of Sex Education. Princeton University Press.