This dissertation examines how the human bodymind has been seen as malleable by science, technology, and policy practitioners from the Eugenic era in the United States in the first half of the 20th century, to the future imaginaries of Transhumanists and technology innovators. I critique the main goal of these practitioners – to perfect the human bodymind and through that perfection, perfecting human society – as utopic, impossible, and amoral. I argue instead, that we are intra-dependent – dependent on and through each other and our ecological contexts. I ground this argument both in the lived experience of those whose bodymind arrangements go against our normative expectations – folks like disabled people, queer and transgender people, body modders, and more – and in the philosophical metaphysics of Karen Barad's Agential Realism. I argue that we can only produce a future where bodymind alteration is acceptable if we first value different bodymind arrangements. I argue both that we cannot consider ourselves individuals, separate from the world or each other, and that multiplicity of bodyminds is a generative, heterotopic (neither utopic nor dystopic), force toward which we ought strive through engaging intentionally with each other in care relations. / Doctor of Philosophy / An interdisciplinary examination of how science and technology has made possible bodymind alteration from the eugenics in the early 20th century until today. Particular focus is given to how futures were imagined by different groups (eugenics educators, regenerative medicine scientists, and transhumanists in particular), the practices used to realize these futures, and the ethics around the practices and beliefs that are often taken for granted. I also describe several communities (disabled people, body modders, otherkin, and more) whose bodyminds are decidedly non-normative in order to reveal practices of community, kinship, and resistance to power that illuminate the lived realities of having a different morphology. I argue that these communities reveal ways to value and include morphological difference that might bring about a Morphological Freedom in which we might all thrive.

Cette recherche étudie les processus psychopathologiques associés aux comportements se référant au Body Art. Ce travail est centré sur l'approche de pratiques relevant de la modification corporelle (piercing, tatouage, scarification, stretch) et de la pratique de performances (séance de tatouage de plusieurs heures, suspension, play piercing et performance artistique). La méthodologie mixte est axée sur l'évaluation quantitative de variables symptomatologiques, de personnalité, émotionnelles et de variables associées à la dimension « corporelle » au sein d'une population de sujets adultes pratiquant ou non la modification corporelle et/ou la performance. L'évaluation qualitative étudie les productions discursives des individus à travers l'analyse de la structure grammaticale du discours et les thématiques qu'ils abordent. / This research examines psychopathological processes associated with behaviors referring to the Body Art. This work deals with body modification practices (piercing, tattooing, scarification, stretch) and performance (several hours tattoo sessions, suspension, play piercing and artistic performance). The methodology consists on both quantitative and qualitative study. Quantitative evaluation focuses on variables of symptomatology, personality, emotional and variables associated with "body" dimension in a population of adult body artists and non-practicing. Qualitative evaluation examines discursive productions through the analysis of the grammatical structure of the speech and associated topics.

[pt] O presente trabalho abordará as modificações corporais especificamente no campo psicanalítico. Partirá da premissa de que a questão da noção do corpo na psicanálise é fundamental e delicada, ressaltará a importância da via sensorial para a constituição do psiquismo. A investigação terá como base teórica o conceito freudiano de eu, a proposta de Piera Aulagnier a respeito da constituição do corpo próprio e da origem do psiquismo, as noções de Eu-pele e Eu-pensante de Didier Anzieu, alguns conceitos winnicottianos sobre a importância do vínculo materno na díade mãe-bebê para promoção de saúde mental, bem como algumas noções sobre saúde e criatividade. O trabalho visa refletir sobre as possíveis relações existentes entre as modificações corporais e a constituição da subjetividade. / [en] The present work will address the body modifications specifically in the psychoanalytic field. It assumes the question of the notion of the body in psychoanalysis as a fundamental and delicate one, will underscore the importance of the sensorial pathway for the constitution of the psyche. The investigation will have as its theoretical basis the Freudian concept of ego, Piera Aulagnier s proposal regarding the constitution of one s own body and the psyche s origin, the notions of self-skin and self-thinking of Didier Anzieu, some Winnicottian concepts about the importance of maternal bond in the mother-infant dyad towards the promotion of mental health, as well as some notions of health and creativity. The work intends to consider the possible relations between body modifications and the constitution of subjectivity.

O presente estudo aborda as modificações corporais como tatuagem, piercing, escarificação, semelhança animal, no contexto social e particular contemporâneo à luz de olhares da Sociologia, da Filosofia e principalmente da Psicanálise. Apesar de sua antiguidade, de estarem associadas a rituais de passagem e de terem pertencido, algumas delas, a determinados grupos ao longo da história, pensa-se que atualmente tais práticas encontram-se disseminadas por todos os grupos sociais, tendo perdido, em parte, seu caráter ritual. Elas indicam um desejo de eterno retorno mítico à natureza perdida em função da inscrição da linguagem no corpo e se colocam como esboço de um corpo em contínuo ajuste de sua imagem, sobretudo quando falta palavra (no seu sentido significante) que defenda contra uma intensa demanda do Outro. As marcas que visam uma semelhança animal trazem à tona estes seres como interrogantes de nosso parentesco, mas fundamentalmente elas evidenciam nosso corpo próprio naquilo que sempre resta de um Real a nos indagar como enigma, além de apontar novas formas de subjetivação na atualidade. / The present study investigates body modifications, such as tattooing, piercing, scarification, and animal resemblance, in the social and particular contemporaneous context from a sociological, philosophical, and mainly psychoanalytic standpoint. Despite the fact that body modifications are ageold and long-standing practices, historically associated with rites of passage, and that some of them have been adopted by certain groups throughout history, they are currently widespread across all social groups, but they have partially lost their ritualistic nature. These practices indicate the body modifiers’ relentless quest for the mythical reappropriation of their lost nature through body inscription, and can be regarded as the depiction of a body whose image has been under constant adjustment, especially in the absence of words (in the sense of the signifier) that shield usfrom the vigorous pursuit of the Other. Body modifications that seek to imitate animals make us wonder about our similarity to these beings, but they basically reflect our own body in what is always left of the real, challenging us like a puzzle, and show us the new forms of subjectivation available today.

O presente estudo aborda as modificações corporais como tatuagem, piercing, escarificação, semelhança animal, no contexto social e particular contemporâneo à luz de olhares da Sociologia, da Filosofia e principalmente da Psicanálise. Apesar de sua antiguidade, de estarem associadas a rituais de passagem e de terem pertencido, algumas delas, a determinados grupos ao longo da história, pensa-se que atualmente tais práticas encontram-se disseminadas por todos os grupos sociais, tendo perdido, em parte, seu caráter ritual. Elas indicam um desejo de eterno retorno mítico à natureza perdida em função da inscrição da linguagem no corpo e se colocam como esboço de um corpo em contínuo ajuste de sua imagem, sobretudo quando falta palavra (no seu sentido significante) que defenda contra uma intensa demanda do Outro. As marcas que visam uma semelhança animal trazem à tona estes seres como interrogantes de nosso parentesco, mas fundamentalmente elas evidenciam nosso corpo próprio naquilo que sempre resta de um Real a nos indagar como enigma, além de apontar novas formas de subjetivação na atualidade. / The present study investigates body modifications, such as tattooing, piercing, scarification, and animal resemblance, in the social and particular contemporaneous context from a sociological, philosophical, and mainly psychoanalytic standpoint. Despite the fact that body modifications are ageold and long-standing practices, historically associated with rites of passage, and that some of them have been adopted by certain groups throughout history, they are currently widespread across all social groups, but they have partially lost their ritualistic nature. These practices indicate the body modifiers’ relentless quest for the mythical reappropriation of their lost nature through body inscription, and can be regarded as the depiction of a body whose image has been under constant adjustment, especially in the absence of words (in the sense of the signifier) that shield usfrom the vigorous pursuit of the Other. Body modifications that seek to imitate animals make us wonder about our similarity to these beings, but they basically reflect our own body in what is always left of the real, challenging us like a puzzle, and show us the new forms of subjectivation available today.

O presente estudo aborda as modificações corporais como tatuagem, piercing, escarificação, semelhança animal, no contexto social e particular contemporâneo à luz de olhares da Sociologia, da Filosofia e principalmente da Psicanálise. Apesar de sua antiguidade, de estarem associadas a rituais de passagem e de terem pertencido, algumas delas, a determinados grupos ao longo da história, pensa-se que atualmente tais práticas encontram-se disseminadas por todos os grupos sociais, tendo perdido, em parte, seu caráter ritual. Elas indicam um desejo de eterno retorno mítico à natureza perdida em função da inscrição da linguagem no corpo e se colocam como esboço de um corpo em contínuo ajuste de sua imagem, sobretudo quando falta palavra (no seu sentido significante) que defenda contra uma intensa demanda do Outro. As marcas que visam uma semelhança animal trazem à tona estes seres como interrogantes de nosso parentesco, mas fundamentalmente elas evidenciam nosso corpo próprio naquilo que sempre resta de um Real a nos indagar como enigma, além de apontar novas formas de subjetivação na atualidade. / The present study investigates body modifications, such as tattooing, piercing, scarification, and animal resemblance, in the social and particular contemporaneous context from a sociological, philosophical, and mainly psychoanalytic standpoint. Despite the fact that body modifications are ageold and long-standing practices, historically associated with rites of passage, and that some of them have been adopted by certain groups throughout history, they are currently widespread across all social groups, but they have partially lost their ritualistic nature. These practices indicate the body modifiers’ relentless quest for the mythical reappropriation of their lost nature through body inscription, and can be regarded as the depiction of a body whose image has been under constant adjustment, especially in the absence of words (in the sense of the signifier) that shield usfrom the vigorous pursuit of the Other. Body modifications that seek to imitate animals make us wonder about our similarity to these beings, but they basically reflect our own body in what is always left of the real, challenging us like a puzzle, and show us the new forms of subjectivation available today.

The increased popularity of tattooing in recent years serves as the backdrop for this research report. As tattooing has grown in popularity it has become increasingly mainstream and has been embraced by people from all walks of life. In particular, a large Internet archive of tattoos has emerged, that contains narratives by people with tattoos as well as numerous pictures of tattoos. In this research report a discourse analysis was conducted on fifty-two of these Internet postings, in order to ascertain what discourse were in use in these postings. Thus, the discourse analysis looked at the ways in which having a tattoo/ being tattooed were constructed within these postings. In order for the discourse analysis to be conducted, the research first embarked on an extensive review of literature, that looked at the academic readings of tattooing. It was found that these readings were varied, and that it was possible to read tattooing in many different ways. Both positive and negative readings of tattoos are highlighted within the literature review. The theoretical backdrop of social constructionism informs the methodology section of the research, as it presents a detailed and contradictory discussion of the field of discourse analysis. Rather than unproblematically claiming to produce a discourse analysis, the research interrogated the term itself, highlighting the contradictions in the field before narrowing to the presentation of a pragmatic approach to discourse analysis that was used in this specific research report. Following the debate in both the literature review and the methodology, three discourses were identified by the discourse analysis conducted. The first discourse relates to tattooing as being a definition or a redefinition of the self, a way to construct a new and complete identity. The second discourse refers to the process of getting a tattoo as providing access to a certain way of speaking that is only available to those who have tattoos. The third discourse identified looks at the construction of the tattoo artist as expert, and the role that the tattoo artist has as a gatekeeper to the discourses of tattooing. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Psychology / unrestricted

This dissertation has multiple goals. First to analyze self-destructive behavior and its relations to ethics. Secondly to evaluate four different ethical perspectives regarding self-destructiveness from a certain position of human nature. The third goal is to construct a position that deals with self-destructive behavior in a way that is improved and well-managed compared to the four ethical perspectives analyzed earlier. The first goal is met by comparing and evaluating different theories concerning self-destructive behavior and discussing the ethical implications surrounding them. Self-destructive behavior is seen as a way of communicating, which puts a moral pressure on both the self-destructive person and the society around her. The four ethical perspectives represented by Robert Nozick and Thomas Szasz, two neoliberals, James B Nelson, a body theologian inspired by Paul Tillich, Gail Weiss, a body feminist and Mary Timothy Prokes, a catholic body theologian, are hence met by the problem of self-destruct, analyzed and critically evaluated. In the final chapter the author constructs an improved ethical perspective concerned with self-destructiveness, based on altruism, responsibility and broad-mindedness.

L’obiettivo di questa tesi è di analizzare la relazione fra l’esperienza di consumo e la costruzione della corporeità. Il lavoro si sviluppa all’ interno di un frame teorico che ha previsto lo studio integrato di tre discipline: sociologia, filosofia e marketing esperienziale. In particolare, l’analisi sociologica dei consumi ha messo in luce la complessità del consumo postmoderno collocandolo all’ interno del più ampio contesto socio culturale contemporaneo. Un consumo dove si evidenziano nuove modalità di espressione dell’identità dell’individuo attraverso l’uso degli oggetti, innovativi spazi di comunicazione e condivisione (offline e online) e una pluralità di stili di consumo che di volta in volta il consumatore cambia in base agli stili di vita, gusti, preferenze e contesti sociali. In questo quadro, allora, è emersa la necessità di studiare il consumo da una seconda prospettiva teorica che chiama in causa il marketing esperienziale, al fine di comprendere le modalità e le strategie attraverso cui il marketing veicola la propria offerta commerciale. Pertanto, si è inteso approfondire il concetto di esperienza di consumo, fornendo una definizione teorica e le sue principali caratteristiche. Da queste analisi si è evidenziato il ruolo del corpo nel processo di costruzione dell’esperienza; partendo da questo assunto si è proceduto allo studio della filosofia per fare chiarezza sulla contrapposizione fra corpo soggetto agente dell’esperienza e corpo agito dall’intelletto. Inoltre, attraverso l’analisi della letteratura sociologica, si è approfondito la contrapposizione fra una visione della corporeità intesa come progetto individuale e quella che la intende come oggetto sociale. Infine si è analizzata una terza chiave di lettura (Featherstone 2010) che identifica nel ‘soggetto’ una sua possibile ricomposizione. La base empirica della tesi si fonda sull’uso della netnografia per l'analisi di un forum (Ciao.it) dove sono stati rilevati i post di consumatori di cosmetici e offline attraverso 15 interviste semistrutturate. La tesi mette chiarisce quali sono le categorie di consumo comunicate dai consumatori, se sono presenti nuove categorie non individuate dalla letteratura e la differenza fra la comunicazione online e offline dell’esperienza. Inoltre, l’analisi consentirà di delineare i processi sottostanti la costruzione della corporeità nell’esperienza di consumo e se il ‘soggetto’ si configura quale effettivo elemento di ricomposizione fra corpo come progetto individuale e corpo come oggetto culturale. / The aim of this thesis is to analyze the relationship between the experience of consumption and body construction. The work is developed within a theoretical framework that provides for the integrated study of three disciplines: sociology, philosophy and experiential marketing. In particular, the sociological analysis of consumption has highlighted the complexity of postmodern consumption by placing within the broader socio-cultural context of the contemporary. A consumer wherever there are new ways of individual expression of identity with objects, innovative communication and sharing spaces (offline and online), and a plurality of styles of consumption that the consumer changes according lifestyles, tastes, preferences and social settings. In this context, then, it is important to study the consumption by a second theoretical perspective that involves experiential marketing, in order to understand the ways and strategies through which conveys marketing its product offering. Therefore, it was necessary to deepen the concept of consumer experience, providing a theoretical definition and its main characteristics. From these analyses it is highlighted the role of the body within the process of construction of experience. So, the study of philosophy was important to clarify the contrast between the body as an agent of experience and a vision that considers the body as an object of the intellect . In addition, through the analysis of the sociological literature, it has deepened the contrast between a vision of corporeality as an individual project, and one that considers the body as a cultural object. Finally, we examined a third interpretation (Featherstone 2010) that identifies the 'subject' a possible third interpretation of this phenomenon. The empirical basis of the thesis is based on the use of netnography for analysing a forum (Ciao.it) where the post of consumers of cosmetics and offline through 15 semi-structured interviews were detected. The thesis clarifies the categories of consumption reported by consumers, if there are new categories not identified in the literature and the difference between the online and offline communications experience. In addition, the analysis will outline the processes underlying the construction of corporeality in the experience of consumption and whether the 'subject' is presented as an effective third interpretation of the conflict between the vision of the body as an individual project and the body as a cultural object.

Les mutilations corporelles constituent un ensemble de pratiques qui révèle non seulement la perception qu’une société a de son corps, mais aussi le rapport qu’elle entretient avec celui des autres. Si les sciences sociales modernes ont abandonné cette appellation pour des expressions plus neutres telles que « modifications corporelles », elle se justifie encore pleinement pour l’Antiquité dont nous avons hérité une vision stéréotypée du corps beau assortie d’un rejet de toute forme d’altération. Après une nécessaire définition des cadres du sujet, nous proposerons une étude lexicale du vocabulaire grec de la mutilation corporelle avant de nous pencher sur notre problématique : les sources antiques aussi bien que l’historiographie moderne associent les mutilations corporelles avec le monde « barbare », c’est-à-dire non grec. S’agit-il d’un cliché, remonte-t-il à l’Antiquité ? les Grecs n’ont-il pas témoigné fidèlement de pratiques observées ? Nous approcherons ces questions en distinguant trois axes : la mutilation en tant que châtiment barbare, punir le corps mort dans les cultures non grecques et la mutilation comme l’expression d’une autre vision du corps. Nous tâcherons de distinguer dans les sources grecques ce qui relève d’une part de stéréotypes et d’autre part d’informations ethnographiques. Un telle démarche permet au chercheur d’appréhender les pratiques de mutilations corporelles ayant cours dans l’Antiquité et la perception qu’en avaient les Anciens. / Physical mutilations can be defined as a set of practices which is relevant to the way a society sees its body but also to the connection it has with the body of the Other. Social sciences have abandoned this term for a more neutral designation such as “body modification”, however for the purpose of our study the old name is still adequate for we have inherited from Antiquity a stereotyped way of considering the beauty of the body and of rejecting all kind of alteration. We will start by an essential definition of our subject before offering a complete lexical study of the Greek vocabulary dealing with mutilation. Then, our main problematic will concern the issues which appear characteristic of ancient and modern historiography: are physical mutilations – as a typical “barbarian”, i.e. non Greek, feature – a cliché that goes back to Antiquity? Did the Greeks give any kind of truthful evidence of practices that were effectively observing? We will approach these questions from three angles: mutilation as a barbaric punishment, chastising the dead in non Greek cultures, mutilation as the expression of a different way of seeing the body. We will aim at separating in the ancient Greek sources what can be regarded as stereotypes from true ethnographic information. This might help scholars to understand body modifications that were in use in Antiquity as well as the way the Ancient were viewing them.