In everyday life we are not, for the most part, actively
conscious of our bodies or the bodies of others - we simply
take them for granted. This new edition of a lively introduction to
the sociology of the body examines what certain aspects of our
bodies, such as the size, shape, smell and demeanour, reveal about
the social organization of everyday life and how the body is
crucial to the way we engage with the world and the people around
us.

The human body is endowed with varied forms of social
significance which sociology has addressed by asking questions such
as: To what degree do individuals have control over their own
bodies? What interest does the state have in regulating the human
body? How significant is the body to the development and
performance of the self in everyday life? What images of the body
influence people's expectations of themselves and others?
Written in a clear and comprehensible way, The Body in
Society introduces students to the key conceptual frameworks
that help us to understand the social significance of the human
body. This second edition has been thoroughly updated to take into
account recent theories and debates and also includes enhanced
pedagogical features. Using familiar examples from everyday life,
such as diet and exercise regimes, personal hygiene, dress,
displays of emotion, and control over bodily functions, coupled
with examples from popular culture, the text has strong
contemporary relevance and will strike a chord with all who read
it.

This book will be essential reading for students taking courses
on the body in sociology, anthropology, gender studies and cultural
studies.

Alexandra Howson is an independent researcher/writer, and former lecturer in sociology at the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

In everyday life we are not, for the most part, actively conscious of our bodies or the bodies of others we simply take them for granted. This new edition of a lively introduction to the sociology of the body examines what certain aspects of our bodies, such as the size, shape, smell and demeanour, reveal about the social organization of everyday life and how the body is crucial to the way we engage with the world and the people around us.

The human body is endowed with varied forms of social significance which sociology has addressed by asking questions such as: To what degree do individuals have control over their own bodies? What interest does the state have in regulating the human body? How significant is the body to the development and performance of the self in everyday life? What images of the body influence people's expectations of themselves and others? Written in a clear and comprehensible way, The Body in Society introduces students to the key conceptual frameworks that help us to understand the social significance of the human body. This second edition has been thoroughly updated to take into account recent theories and debates and also includes enhanced pedagogical features. Using familiar examples from everyday life, such as diet and exercise regimes, personal hygiene, dress, displays of emotion, and control over bodily functions, coupled with examples from popular culture, the text has strong contemporary relevance and will strike a chord with all who read it.

This book will be essential reading for students taking courses on the body in sociology, anthropology, gender studies and cultural studies.

Acknowledgements vi

Introduction 1

1 The Body in Everyday Life 16

2 The Body, Gender and Sex 50

3 The Civilized Body 85

4 The Body in Consumer Culture 115

5 Regulating the Body 150

6 Vulnerable Bodies 179

Glossary 211

References 220

Index 248