Q&A with Nina S. Studer, author of The Hour of Absinthe: A Cultural History of France’s Most Notorious Drink
Briefly describe your book
In my book, I trace absinthe’s history from its mythical “invention” in the 18th century and its moment of glory during France’s Belle Époque, to its prohibition in the early 20th century and its renaissance in the 21st. Combining medical sources with newspaper articles, adverts and more, my book centres France’s colonial empire in the biography of the drink. In particular, I suggest in The Hour of Absinthe that both absinthe’s initial popularity and its eventual downfall are closely linked to France’s presence in Algeria, where settlers, soldiers, tourists and the colonised were in turn depicted as inveterate absinthe drinkers.
Why did you choose to publish with a University Press?
I chose to publish with McGill-Queen’s University Press because of their outstanding book series “Intoxicating Histories” which felt like the perfect home for my project. As well as being a globally respected publishing house, MQUP encouraged me to aim for a broader audience without sacrificing academic rigour.
Do you enjoy the writing process?
I am very passionate about absinthe, its scandalous history and its sparse historiography, which has been, to this date, full of legends, biases and misunderstandings. While much remains to be done, it was a pleasure to be able to clear up some of these issues. Additionally, having spent several years intensely researching absinthe’s colonial history, the writing process felt like having a huge weight taken off my shoulders. The enjoyable part of the process came through the wonderful support system that MQUP provided me with.
Who, or what, inspires you?
I am inspired by my close network of mentors, colleagues and students, amongst whom I could mention the historian of empire Waltraud Ernst, the historian of medicine (and leader of my current research project on the history of wet dreams) Francesca Arena, and my friend Hanna Al-Taher, who works on contemporary gender issues in the Middle East. I am also inspired by bringing under-researched parts of history to a broader audience, as well as bridging some of the many language gaps in academia (by making French, Arabic and German sources accessible to an Anglophone audience).
What’s next?
I am currently part of a project that looks at the medical history of wet dreams in France and Switzerland between the 18th and the 20th century. My personal research in that project focuses on the role of both “the Orient” and France’s colonial empire in 19th century French medical treatises discussing wet dreams. This is another fascinating understudied part of the history of medicine that would be very well-deserving of a monograph at some point. I am also still working on the history of drinks, however, and dream of getting the chance to write a history of North Africa between the 19th and the 21st century through a series of biographies of soft drinks.
What is the last thing you read not for research/work?
A few years ago, I have started to read for pleasure again. After having been a bit embarrassed about my penchant for it for years, I have taken up horror, fantasy and sci-fi novels again, which are far enough from my source material to work wonderfully as an escape mechanism.
What advice would you offer to young academics wishing to follow in your footsteps?
Speaking to students who are interested in careers in academia, I always try to make sure that they choose this path for the right reason – which is a passion for either research or teaching. Getting the chance to immerse oneself fully in a niche topic is a privilege, but it is also hard work, so it should make you feel happy and fulfilled. Additionally, coming from the field of postcolonial studies, I always tell young academics that if they are interested in studying regions outside of the West, they should try to learn the local languages.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
I remember being a student, trying to decide what to write my master’s thesis on, and briefly considering to write about subjects that I was not really that interested in, but that I knew to be within the expertise of – and thus useful to – my professors. Before going down that path, I spoke to friends, family members, colleagues and my partner about this option, and the consensus amongst them was that this was a bad idea and that I should not waste time doing somebody else’s research. I was told to focus on what I was good at, on what I was interested in, on questions that I thought were important and relevant, which is what I have done from that moment onward.
Nina S. Studer is a research associate at the University of Geneva. The Hour of Absinthe: A Cultural History of France’s Most Notorious Drink is published by McGill-Queen’s University Press.