The Body in Society: An Introduction - Tapa dura

"The Body in Society is a welcome resource for undergraduate courses in sociology of the body. Students will appreciate Howson's clear prose, her organization by substantive topics, her glossary, and her inclusion for websites for further research on particular topics. A careful, concise, and comprehensive addition to the teaching literature on the body." Arthur W. Frank, University of Calgary "This book is a genuinely introductory text that is both accessible and intellectually challenging to students approaching the sociology of the body for the first time. Admirably grounded in evidence drawn from empirical research, it takes the reader by the hand on a conducted tour of theoretical issues ranging from questions of gender, consumer culture and the civilizing process to the social construction of ageing and the lifecourse. The writing is clear, vigorous and above all highly readable. It is the work of an imaginative and skilful teacher who confidently bridges the gap between the commonsense knowledge and experience of the body in everyday life and sociological research and theorization. The result is an introductory text which does not lose sight of the point of departure of the sociology of the body in everyday life or the complexity of the intellectual roadmap we require for our journey." Mike Hepworth, University of Aberdeen

This book is a lively and highly accessible introduction to the sociology of the body. It examines what certain aspects of our bodies, such as the size, shape, smell and demeanor, 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. It gives an accessible introduction to the complex topic of the sociology of the body. It examines what certain aspects of our bodies, such as the size, shape, smell and demeanor, reveal about the social organization of everyday life. It introduces students to the key theoretical perspectives and conceptual frameworks which help us to understand the social significance of the human body. It uses examples with which readers will have familiarity, such as eating and sleeping.