Sexology in Argentina: History, development and present

DANIEL JONES; MÓNICA GOGNA

Gotemburgo (Suecia)

Congreso; XIX Congreso Mundial para la Salud Sexual; 2009

World Association for Sexual Health (WAS)

This paper synthesises a research which describes and analyses the configuration of sexology field in Argentina. The general objective is to contribute to analyse the different moments, dynamics and tendencies within sexology, in relation to the local history and international influences, from the 70’s to the present. The first stage had as specific objective mapping the sexology in Argentina to know the constitution and the limits of this professional field. The second stage had as specific objective to explore the professional’s profile and their opinions about key points of the sexology (g. e., use of new medicaments). From an interpretative epistemological approach and a qualitative methodological strategy, field work included two techniques: 1) mapping of institutions, courses and faculty (both through Internet and through key informants); and 2) 20 semi-structured interviews to sexologist. The paper shows that sexology hasn’t still had a definitive epistemological status: some professionals define it as a science, others consider it a discipline in constitution and others a synthesis of other sciences’ knowledge. This epistemological lack of definition has its roots in the fact that sexology in Argentina is mainly a practices field. Its “epistemological vulnerability” and the resistance of academic institution to incorporate sexuality issues are obstacles to the inclusion of sexology in the university curricula in Argentina.