Routledge – 2014 – 350 pages
In recent years, body studies has expanded rapidly, becoming an increasingly popular field of study within anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies. This groundbreaking textbook takes the topics and theories from these disciplines, and combines them into one single, easily accessible text for students.
Body Studies is a comprehensive textbook on the social and cultural uses and meanings of the body, for use in undergraduate college courses. Its clear, accessible chapters explore, among other things:
This book investigates how power plays an important role in the uses, views, and shapes of the body—as well as how the body is invested with meaning. Body Studies provides a wealth of pedagogic features for ease of teaching and learning: ethnographic case studies, boxes covering contemporary controversies, news stories, and legislative issues, as well as chapter summaries, further reading recommendations, and key terms. This book will appeal to students and teachers of sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, women’s studies, gender studies, and ethnic studies.
Part I: Understanding the Body from a Social and Cultural Perspective 1. Introduction: Theorizing the Body Part II: The Scientific and Biomedical Body 2. Healthy and Diseased Bodies 3. Aging Bodies 4. Reproducing Bodies 5. Dead Bodies Part III: Mapping Difference onto Bodies 6. Racialized and Colonized Bodies 7. Gendered Bodies 8. Sexualized Bodies 9. Classed Bodies Part IV: Bodies and Privilege 10. Beautiful Bodies 11. Fat and Thin Bodies Part V: Extraordinary Bodies 12. Modified Bodies 13. Religious Bodies Part VI: State and Corporate Regulation of the Body 14. Tortured, Punished and Convict Bodies 15. Commodified Bodies 16. Animal Bodies Part VII: Bodies of the Future 17. Conclusion: Bodies of the Future. Bibliography
Margo DeMello is a Lecturer in the Department of Communications, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Central New Mexico Community College. Her books include Bodies of Inscription: A Cultural History of the Modern Tattoo Community, Encyclopedia of Body Adornment, Feet and Footwear, and Faces Around the World.