The Body and Social Theory

Front Cover
SAGE, 2003 - Social Science - 238 pages
"Praise for the First Edition

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Essential to any collection of work on the body, health and illness, or social theory' - "Choice

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Sophisticated and acutely perceptive of the importance of the complex dialectic between social institutions, culture and biological conditions' - "Times Higher Education Supplement

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Chris Shilling has done us all a splendid service in bringing together and illustrating the tremendous diversity and richness of sociological thinking on the topic of human embodiment and its implications' - " Sociological Review

"This updated edition of the bestselling text retains all the strengths of the first edition. Chris Shilling: provides a critical survey of the field; demonstrates how developments in diet, sexuality, reproductive technology, genetic engineering and sports science have made the body a site for social alternatives and individual choices; and elucidates the practical uses of theory in striking and accessible ways.

In addition, new, original material: explores the latest feminist, phenomenological and action-oriented approaches to the body; examines the latest work on body projects' and the relationship between the body and self-identity; and outlines a compelling theoretical framework that provides a radical basis for the consolidation of body studies.

 

Contents

The Body in Sociology
17
The Naturalistic Body
37
The Socially Constructed Body
62
The Body and Social Inequalities
88
The Body and Physical Capital
111
The Civilized Body
131
The Body SelfIdentity and Death
152
Concluding Comments
172
References
212
Index
231
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