Following the fairy: a socio-geographical history of absinthe in Paris from 1850-1890

Abstract

This thesis investigates how absinthe was embedded in Paris between 1850 and 1890. To do so, the method of socio-geographical mapping is applied. By focusing on different domains of knowledge and places of knowledge, a comprehensive understanding of absinthe is formed. First, the domain of medical-scientific knowledge is investigated, discussing popular scientific publications, Parisian hospitals and scientific laboratories that experimented with absinthe. Second, the social domain of public drinking places is explored, discussing absinthe production and consumption rituals, as well as drinking places that are relevant to the story of absinthe. Eventually, it becomes clear that the two domains of knowledge that are distinguished in this thesis indeed produce different knowledge about absinthe. The method of socio-geographical mapping successfully illustrates absinthe as a complex historical phenomenon and produces new insights in its embedding in the context of this thesis.