The Body: The Key Concepts

by Lisa Blackman

Questions around 'the body' are central to social theory. Our changing understanding of the body now challenges the ways we conceive power, ideology, subjectivity and social and cultural process. The the key concepts highlights and analyses the debates which make the body central to current sociological, psychological, cultural and feminist thinking. Today, questions around the body are intrinsic to a wide range of debates - from technological developments in media and communications, to socio-cultural questions around representation, performance, class, race, gender and sexuality, to the more 'physical' concerns of health and illness, sleep, diet and eating disorders, body parts and the senses.The the key concepts is the ideal introduction for any student seeking a concise and up-to-date analysis of the complex and influential debates around the body in contemporary culture.

Genres: Theory, Feminism, Research, Academic, Nonfiction

168 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Martmota · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been an amazing formative read. I've learned so much and I feel like this book has open so many doors that were half closed for me. It's a great introduction to Body Studies (even though it has more than 10 years), however I admit that some of the concepts and authors discussed can be hard to grasp to someone that hasn't heard of any of them prior to this text (so maybe it doesn't make the case for a complete introduction to the subject but deeper read... idk).

[Apoorva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible academic texts are so hard to access.

[Outi Condit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and pedagogically mapped genealogy of the conceptualisation of the body and affect.

[E A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great bits for academic essays, easy to access and relatively easy to understand (from a neurodivergent standpoint).

[Christoph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction and overview of sociological approaches to the body as a research topic.