By Paul Oliver

Foucault’s work on sexuality parallels, in a sense, his research on knowledge. He was rather less interested in themes such as the simple history of sexuality, and more in the process by which human beings think of themselves in sexual terms. Foucault specifically considered that there were a range of different ways in which human beings discussed sexuality, in other words, a variety of discourses concerning sex. He noted that, during Victorian times, there had been a sense in which sexuality was repressed, and that people were encouraged to only think about sexual activity within the confines of marriage. He was however, less interested in Victorian attitudes to sex per se, and more in the reasons for this particular viewpoint becoming the predominant perspective for the interpretation of Victorian sexuality. He also noted that throughout the Victorian period there existed a range of other different approaches and discourses concerning sexuality. However, far from being a subject that was not discussed, Foucault notes that sex was a topic of discussion in different areas of society. There was a gradual realization in the modern period that sex was linked to demographic trends, and as such needed to be considered within government planning. The economic productivity of society was linked to population growth, which in turn was closely connected with society’s approaches to sexuality.