The Body in Theory: Essays After Lacan and Foucault

This collection of essays explores the body through the lens of Jacques Lacan and Michel Foucault, discussing topics such as the senses, self-destruction, ableism, disability, body image, selfie-culture, and metamorphosis.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 197 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2021
Publisher: McFarland & Co Inc

The body has always held a captivating allure, with its enigmatic demands and desires, unsettling us throughout history. This comprehensive collection of twelve peer-reviewed essays delves into the multifaceted nature of the body, exploring its allure and its imperfections. Written by a diverse group of scholars, including art historians, cultural theorists, English professors, philosophers, psychoanalysts, and sociologists from North America and Europe, these essays bring together two intellectual giants, often perceived as adversaries, in a rare dialogue. The topics covered in these essays are wide-ranging, encompassing the intersections of Foucault and Lacan, the destructive power of the body, ableism and disability in Guillermo del Toro's film "The Shape of Water," body image and the ego, selfie-culture, and metamorphosis in Ottessa Moshfegh's novel "My Year of Rest and Relaxation."

Through their insightful analyses, these scholars shed light on the complex relationship between the body and society, challenging our perceptions and offering new perspectives on the human experience. Whether examining the historical roots of the body's fascination or exploring its contemporary manifestations, this collection provides a rich and thought-provoking exploration of the body's enduring significance.

Weight: 368g
Dimension: 178 x 254 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781476678559