Merry Wiesner-Hank Book Review

It could be considered that at first look, Merry Wiesner-Hanks investigates an alternative view of the early modern world in terms of the history behind Christianity and Sexuality in the Early Modern World. Wiesner-Hank’s viewpoint moves on from her earlier studies in women and gender in Europe and instead investigates Latin America, Asia, Africa and North America within her renaissance studies of “how Christian ideas and institutions shaped sexual attitudes and activities from roughly 1500-1750”. This in depth examination of the concept of sexuality and the way that it is underpinned by religious life and institutions is divided into six chapters. Her chapters explore the context of sexuality within history, including women’s history, legal

The second part looks more closely at particular regions in the Early Modern World, and the way ideas from different institutions cause different effects. The areas covered as aforementioned; it could be considered that the way in which Wiesner-Hanks sets out her chapters provides clear outline of the way in which she historically contextualises the global scope. It is the way in which Merry Wiesner-Hanks uses vast geographical and historical context to structuralise her findings, which sets her book apart from others of the same variety. However, it could also be considered that this is one of the few criticisms of the book, as in order to provide a more in depth view of the world beyond Europe in the Early Modern World, Wiesner-Hanks is observed to generalise beliefs across mass geographical regions and the religious views that those within the country might have. Moreover, it is evident that Wiesner-Hanks develops the ideas of Michael Foucault, it terms of the belief that sexuality is paired with power, which ultimately is paired with the knowledge of ‘The will to know’ (book of reference,

The chapters on colonialism could be determined as superficial, this could be because Wiesner-Hanks provides too much information which lessens the impact of how inclusive the analysis is, in connection with this the depth in which she examines the patterns of life within the colonies could be considered by some readers as not adequate; as she shows disregard for other religious viewpoints outside of Christianity such as Islam and Hinduism. However, these criticisms aside, Wiesner-Hanks book paints a detailed and layered portrait of Christianity in terms of regulation and reformation. True, it would be nice had Merry Wiesner-Hanks been able to dedicated more time to the discussion of wider religious teachings outside of Christianity, and it could be suggested that her teaching may be more crucial if it covered a smaller topic area in more detail, instead of a vast topic area in lesser detail. However, this is broadly convincing study, which gives Wiesner-Hanks portrayal of Christianity and Sexuality in the Early Modern World richness in terms of her dedication to a contextual study. Wiesner-Hank’s book ends at the start of what scholar’s phrase ‘modern sexuality’, and within this she stresses the importance of centralising sex within religion, as the formation of these boundaries is still an issue which occurs in the modern world as well – these norms are