Critical Evaluation of Embodiment and the Body in Late Modernity

This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module:

Demonstrate a systematic and critical evaluation of the theoretical and social constructions of embodiment and the body in late modernity.

Demonstrate critical evaluation of the widening scope of science and medicine and the media as forms of social control in relation to the body.

Critically analyse and evaluate the social influences on the body and how they are represented.

Critically evaluate current theoretical approaches about health, illness and social patterning of health, in relation to policies and “healthiest” societies.

Critically appraise the relationship between the body, art and media.

1. An accurate bibliographic reference in the Harvard style; and

A short ‘annotation’ in which you give:

1. a summary of the source – placing it in context and concisely outlining features such as the author’s central research aim or question, main argument(s) and/or key research finding(s);
2. an evaluation of the source – assessing its particular strengths and/or limitations with regard to the author’s aims and/or what you contend are relevant criteria;
3. brief reflection on how this source might inform your own research on the aspect of the body in society and culture you have chosen to study.

This assessment aims to provide you with an opportunity to research and become familiar with academic scholarship that you anticipate will be relevant to your second piece of assessed work for the module focusing on an aspect of the study of the body in society and culture chosen from options listed below.

• Media representations of women’s and/or men’s bodies
• The anorexic body and social influences
• Fat bodies and obesity prevention
• Intersex bodies
• Cultures of body enhancement and/or body shaming
• Tattoos and body marking
• FGM and modification of the female body
• Changing social meanings of HIV/AIDS
• Transgender bodies in society
• Meanings and politics of Muslim veils
• The black body in society and culture
• The influence of pornography on sexuality
• Embodied experiences of illness

If there is an aspect of the study of the body that is not listed above, which relates to one or more of the topics covered in seminars for this module, and on which you would very much like to focus, please agree this with me in the seminar or via email.

Your work will be assessed on the extent to which it demonstrates your achievement of the stated learning outcomes for this assignment (see above), and will also be assessed against the following criteria:

• Knowledge and understanding of relevant arguments, research, policy and debates
• Appropriate use of relevant theory, concepts and empirical evidence to inform annotations on sources referenced
• Critical analysis
• Quality of academic writing
• Quality and appropriateness of resources used
• Accurate referencing