Welcome to Embodiment and Feminist Theory Dr Pam Lowe

Introduction to the Module Introductions Why are bodies important in sociology The role of feminist theory What next?

Who are we? Pam Lowe Taking lectures Liz Yardley Running tutorials

Bodies with meanings?

Understanding bodies Although bodies are ‘natural’ our ideas about them, and therefore our understanding of them is shaped by wider society. So bodies are not just neutral or natural but central to the way we organise society

Why bodies? For the next couple of minutes discuss why you think the study of bodies is critical in sociology

Thinking about bodies Judging people’s bodies is one of the ways we organise society: Inequalities based on aspects of appearance such as dress or skin colour Age limits on activities such as driving or smoking Ideas about deviant or dangerous bodies have some common understandings

Bodies as markers Social identities can be seen as arising from the body Social class, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, disability etc etc But also bodies can be formed through social structures Links between poverty and diet, exercise and illness

Talk though for a couple of minutes how bodies can be marked and are marked by social inequalities.

Why Feminist Theory? Feminist theorists realised early on that understanding how society viewed women’s bodies was central to understanding their place in society Women as weaker Women as less intelligent Women as mothers So looking at body issues helps us to understand feminist theory

What is femimism? No one sort of feminism Lots of different positions within the UK and across the world All have one thing in common They believe that as a group women are disadvantaged in relation to men, and wish to expose/challenge/overcome this disadvantage

Feminist theories and the Body Feminist theories has shown how gender and other social divisions arising from the body are central to understanding society Feminist theories has introduced lots of different embodied issues to sociological study

Feminist theories and the Body Feminist theory is not a unified category Different theories may complement or contradict each other Need to critically assess the similarities and differences between them

The rest of the module Week 1 Introduction to the module Week 2 Is the body natural? The impact of culture Week 3 Embodying class, race, gender Week 4 ‘Imperfect bodies?’ The politics of disability and ageing Week 5 Medical power and surveillance Week 6 Case Study: The politics of HIV/AIDS Week 7 ‘What’s love got to do with it?’: emotional bodies Week 8 Dressing up: Fashion and beauty fascism? Week 9 Vulnerable Bodies-gendered violence Week 10 The rise of the cyborg Week 11 Revision classes Week 12 Class Test

Reading Key readings are online journals – no excuses not to read No set text, but if you want to buy a book try one of the following Evans, M. and Lee, E. (eds). (2002) Real Bodies. Basingstoke: Palgrave Fraser, M. and Greco, M. (eds.) (2005) The Body: A Reader. London: Routledge. Howson, A.(2004) The Body in Society. Cambridge: Polity Press

Discussion Board Discussion board running in Blackboard Anything related to themes of the module Will assist your understanding, and make the module more interesting!

Sensitive Subjects This module covers many sensitive subjects help and advice numbers are at the end of the reading list In class, no one is expected to discuss individual experiences if they do not want to. Students need to be bear in mind that others in the room may be or have been personally affected by the material covered If you have any worries or concerns about any topics that you will be studying, please come and see me

Summary Thought about how bodies are marked and marked by society Considered how feminist theory has often developed because of embodied concerns Considered how these topics can be sensitive and the need to think about how others may be affected

Next week: Is the body natural? The impact of culture Look in more depth at the way bodies are shaped by society Identity Sexuality Norms Taboos Consider the extent to which they shape our understanding of bodies and, in some cases, the physical body itself.