Читать книгу Introducing Anthropology - Laura Pountney - Страница 107

 How do humans use bodies to communicate differences between one another?

 What are the meanings of body modification and body image?

 What are the different anthropological theories about bodies?

 How does the body reflect the values and beliefs of the wider society to which it belongs?

Chapter 1 explored the ways in which human beings evolved physically and the ways in which their evolved bodies have shaped culture. Anthropologists are also interested in the meanings and values that are attached to the body in different cultural settings. The body plays an important role in how we classify (put into categories) the world around us. This chapter looks at different relationships between the body and society. The body is seen to communicate a range of statuses, ranks and relationships. Bodies can be perceived as things to be beautified, fixed and adorned, and can be recognized, among other things, as male or female, black or white. They may convey national pride, as was the case during the football World Cup in Russia in 2018. Bodies can also communicate the effects of racism, neglect and abuse. Anthropologists have long been interested in ideas about the body. The anthropological literature and number of ethnographies on the body are vast. This chapter looks at some ways in which the body is studied in anthropology.