The Thin Woman

Women and Psychology

by Helen Malson

The Thin Woman provides an in-depth discussion of anorexia nervosa from a feminist social psychological standpoint. Medicine, psychiatry and psychology have all presented us with particular ways of understanding eating disorders, yet the notion of 'anorexia' as a medical condition limits our understanding of anorexia and the extent to which we can explore it as a socially, discursively produced problem.
Based on original research using historical and contemporary literature on anorexia nervosa, and a series of interviews with women diagnosed as anorexic, The Thin Woman offers new insights into the problem. It will prove useful both to those with an interest in eating disorders and gender, and to those interested in the new developments in feminist post-structuralist theory and discourse analytic research in psychology.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Philosophy

252 pages, Paperback

Published November 13, 1997

Reviews

[Tessa de Vet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book offers a well-conducted genealogical (re)construction of the discourses surrounding 'anorexia' or self-starvation from a medieval religious practice to its medicalisation in the 19th and 20th century. It lends its theoretical bases from feminism, post-structuralism (predominantly Foucault) and some psychoanalysis. These discourses are then integrated in the field of social psychology. The author conducted several interviews/clinical research, which are analysed in part 3. Although I have skimmed through most of the latter part, the conclusions that Malson makes are firm and seemingly well-founded. Interesting parts on presence of Cartesian dualism and self-production and self-annihilation.
Perhaps she could've taken it a bit further philosophically, although her reconstruction of the long historical link between femininity and illness (''from womb to nerves'', hysteria, fragility and madness) is very well executed. And perhaps some of the analyses are a bit dated by now (the book was published in 1997, some theoretical standpoints go back to the 70s and 80s), which does by no means invalidate them but asks for an update on the current (clinical and popular) debate on 'anorexia'.

[nour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lit review read. The definitive post structural analysis of anorexia, so thought-provoking and impactful. My main critique is pointed out by Malson herself in the intro to the new edition—the lack of engagement with race as a category of analysis when discussing bodies and thinness/fatness feels like a missed opportunity at best/glaring shortcoming at worst.

[Eleonora Marino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book at least once.

[Mandi Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.