Since the 1970s scholarly works have studied the history of the family, firstly focusing on its structures, and on material as well as symbolic transmissions (BURGUIERE, KLAPISCH-ZUBER, et al. : 1986 ; LEVI : 1985 ; LASLETT, WALL: 1972; DELILLE : 1985 ; DIONIGI: 2016; SHORTER: 1977; STONE: 1977). More recently the focus has been shifted to familial figures such as fathers (DELUMEAU, ROCHE: 2000; Doyon: 2005, 2009; GRACE: 2015), mothers (BERTHIAUD: 2012, 2013, 2014; BROUARD-ARENDS: 1991; KNIBIEHLER, FOUQUET: 1980), children (BECCHI, JULIA: 1998; CUNNINGHAM: 1995; MOREL: 2009, 2020), or grandparents (GOURDON: 2001) and to the relationships within the family and kinship (ATKINS: 2001; ALFANI, GOURDON, GRANGE, TRÉVISI: 2015; LEMERCIER: 2005; LETT: 2004; SABEAN, MATHIEU, TEUSCHER: 2007; TRÉVISI: 2008). In comparison, couples have drawn less attention. Yet they really are the foundations upon which the family is built: they determine its formation, its reproduction, its domestic politics, and all the transmissions that occur within familial bonds, may they be material, symbolical or cultural.
To be true, many scholars did study couples or rather the theological, moral, legal, philosophical, and political discourses led upon them and more generally on marriage (GAUDEMET: 1987; LANZIGER: 2015; MELCHIOR-BONNET: 2009. See foremost the synthesis BURGUIÈRE : 2011). However, few scholars have studied the social history of the couples themselves. The couples that have been observed share the particularity to have been entangled with illegitimacy: they were easier to grasp historically because of the many problems stemming from such situations that were often complex and, therefore, prone to come to the attention of institutions (see the recent works of CHAPPUIS: 2022; EVANS: 2004; KAMP, SCHMIDT: 2018; PHILIP: 2023; VERMEESCH: 2018). Similarly, very interesting works have been led on couples that experienced conjugal violence and rape (FOYSTER: 2005; FROST: 2008; MURPHY: 2019; PHILIP: 2020; REGINA: 2015). To some noticeable exceptions (for instance DAUMAS : 1996, 2004 ; RUGGIU : 2007), thus, one is left to deduce the norm from the margins, the illicit, or from failures.
To the contrary, this call suggests focusing the attention on the social experience of couples deemed licit. Incidentally, the licitness must be discussed and carefully defined, as it is a fluid phenomenon: it stemmed from moral, peers and family, as well it was adjudicated by the law. It could result in contradictory meanings of licitness that, moreover, depended closely on class, race, gender, sexual orientation, as well as age, and that evolved across times and places starkly. Two paramount shifts occurred between the 19th and the mid 20th century as marriage and heterosexuality did not define licit couples any longer – in most Western societies, at any rate.
Coinciding with the different stages of the relation, three main axes have been identified, through which sexuality, age, control, and emotions represent transversal questions.
1. Courting couples: couples are couples even before they entered marriage and courting couples were already recognized by the community. The familial influence during formation of the couples that most often than not led to marriage has been demonstrated (DAUMAS: 2004; HARDWICK: 2020; LEBRUN: 1985; SEGALEN, JACQUARD: 1971). At stakes lay important material concerns that were seen until recently as opposed to the feelings that the young adults could feel for one another. However, history of emotions has shown that these two issues were deeply entangled (LEVEQUE LAMOTTE: 2020). Nevertheless, after the 1750s feelings seemed to have grown in importance, as they were granted a new social and philosophical value (BURGUIÈRE: 2011; SHORTER: 1977; STONE: 1977; DAUMAS: 1996; WATT: 1992). What consequences did have this newly acquired value on the formation of couples and on the way they worked together? Besides, scholarly works have discussed at lengths to what extent young adults were granted freedom during the time of court, for instance the nocturnal visits such as killtgang. Aside from these well-known rituals studied by folklorists (JUNOD: 1946; GEIGER: 1916; VAN GENNEP: 1937), to what activities did the couples engage? To what extent age influenced their practices? It begs for instance the question of increasing flirting practices as of the 19th century (CASTA-ROSAZ : 2000).
2. Maturing couples. Happy or unhappy unions? Focusing on the social experience of married life, this call addresses the way couples expressed and lived love and desires. How couples managed domestic life and work, in particular in the cases of individuals working together? Notwithstanding the obligation of procreation, attempts at birth control appeared to be an issue for husbands and wives probably even before the demographic transition. For instance, it can be observed in Geneva already in the beginning of the 18th century (PERRENOUD: 1979). It raises the central question of the transmission within the family of particular sexual practices and control, that pertained to “familial culture” (RUGGIU, GOURDON, ALEXANDRE: 2022; JOHNER: 2022). Finally, to live as a couple, whether married or not, is supposed to constitute a milestone into adulthood (RENNE : 2016). What effects did it have in practice on the social status of men and women?
3. Aging couples. Scholarly works have foremost studied the history of widowhood (BEAUVALET: 2001; BREMMER, VAN DEN BOSCH: 1995; MORING, WALL: 2017) or of aging in general (LASLETT: 1977; BENOIT-LAPIERRE: 1983; MINOIS: 1987; ORIS, DUBERT, VIRET: 2015). However, little has been written on the social experience of aging couples. The aging process affect men and women differently, foremost in the social representations. How did age affect the social right to enjoy sexuality (RENNES : 2016) ? What consequences these gendered norms de genre have on aging couples?
The period in view runs from the late medieval ages to the present day. Sociological proposals are welcomed insofar as they provide a strong historical perspective. This issue shall highlight the interactions between social behaviors, popular conceptions and norms, taking into account the diversity of historical and social contexts, as well as class, gender and milieux. The proposals should address these questions, concentrating on social practices and experiences, and granting a particular attention to actors. In addition to this qualitative approach, proposals pertaining to the historical demography are most welcomed, in order to address the question through a quantitative perspective.
Proposals (max. 500 words) along with a short bio-bibliography are to be submitted by e-mail to aline.johner@gmail.com and loraine.chappuis@unige.ch until December 15, 2023.
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