Thesis (MA)--University of Montana, 2010. / Contents viewed on July 18, 2010. Title from author supplied metadata. Includes bibliographical references.

The problem of this research may be stated as a study of the relationship between successful weight reduction on the part of people involved in a group program, and the two variables of ego strength and social participation.

Orientador: Luís Antonio Francisco de Souza / Banca: José Luís Guimarães / Banca: Lídia Viana Possas / Resumo: A presente dissertação busca em seus objetivos compreender as representações sociais do corpo, com ênfase na construção do corpo obeso através das práticas corretivas que visam agir sobre o controle do peso. A pesquisa pretende observar as práticas, os discursos e os métodos de normalização do corpo na instituição dos "Vigilantes do Peso" (VP), entidade voltada à correção dos hábitos alimentares considerados irregulares. Ao mesmo tempo, a pesquisa pretende compreender a maneira com que os obesos representam seu corpo e como justificam a sua adesão às práticas do VP. A reflexão baseia-se nas leituras de Michel Foucault sobre disciplina e norma, bem como sobre bio-política. O que está em jogo no debate são as diferentes maneiras de como, na modernidade, o corpo passou a ser objeto de intervenção de poderes e de investimento subjetivo. A pesquisa pretende adicionalmente descrever e analisar as práticas cotidianas dos usurários do VP. Para tanto, foram realizadas observações diretas dessas práticas com o intuito de descrever as confissões realizadas durante as reuniões da instituição. Os VP representam um novo tipo de instituição na modernidade tardia. Em sua prática corretiva, apontam para processos mais sutis de institucionalização da norma. A dissertação, por último, pode contribuir para a compreensão dos temas relacionados ao corpo e à obesidade no âmbito das Ciências Sociais. / Abstract: The present work seeks in its objectives to understand the social representations of body, stressing the correctives practices that underlies the weight control and the construction of the overweight body. The research intends to observe the practices, the speeches and the methods of normalization of the body within the "Weight Watchers" (VP), entity devoted above all to the correction of alimentary habits considered not regular. At the same time, the research intends to understand the way in which somebody with overweight represents its body and justifies its adhesion to the practices of weight control. The purpose is to discuss these problems using the Michel Foucault's thought on discipline, normalization and bio-politics. The main concern is to grasp the different ways in late modernity the body became object of powers interventions and subjective investment. The research also intends to describe and to analyze the VP daily practices. To accomplish that, will be made direct observations of VP daily practices and the confessions emerged within the VP meetings as well. VP is a type of institution that encompasses the emergency of new modernity configuration in the body corrections practices. The dissertation intends lastly to understand the studies related to body and obesity, in the knowledge realm of Social Sciences. / Mestre

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed month day, year). Includes bibliographical references.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-05-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:09:58Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 magalhaes_br_me_mar.pdf: 664405 bytes, checksum: 09530e55da0e0523d49efff4b7008fcd (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A presente dissertação busca em seus objetivos compreender as representações sociais do corpo, com ênfase na construção do corpo obeso através das práticas corretivas que visam agir sobre o controle do peso. A pesquisa pretende observar as práticas, os discursos e os métodos de normalização do corpo na instituição dos “Vigilantes do Peso” (VP), entidade voltada à correção dos hábitos alimentares considerados irregulares. Ao mesmo tempo, a pesquisa pretende compreender a maneira com que os obesos representam seu corpo e como justificam a sua adesão às práticas do VP. A reflexão baseia-se nas leituras de Michel Foucault sobre disciplina e norma, bem como sobre bio-política. O que está em jogo no debate são as diferentes maneiras de como, na modernidade, o corpo passou a ser objeto de intervenção de poderes e de investimento subjetivo. A pesquisa pretende adicionalmente descrever e analisar as práticas cotidianas dos usurários do VP. Para tanto, foram realizadas observações diretas dessas práticas com o intuito de descrever as confissões realizadas durante as reuniões da instituição. Os VP representam um novo tipo de instituição na modernidade tardia. Em sua prática corretiva, apontam para processos mais sutis de institucionalização da norma. A dissertação, por último, pode contribuir para a compreensão dos temas relacionados ao corpo e à obesidade no âmbito das Ciências Sociais. / The present work seeks in its objectives to understand the social representations of body, stressing the correctives practices that underlies the weight control and the construction of the overweight body. The research intends to observe the practices, the speeches and the methods of normalization of the body within the “Weight Watchers” (VP), entity devoted above all to the correction of alimentary habits considered not regular. At the same time, the research intends to understand the way in which somebody with overweight represents its body and justifies its adhesion to the practices of weight control. The purpose is to discuss these problems using the Michel Foucault’s thought on discipline, normalization and bio-politics. The main concern is to grasp the different ways in late modernity the body became object of powers interventions and subjective investment. The research also intends to describe and to analyze the VP daily practices. To accomplish that, will be made direct observations of VP daily practices and the confessions emerged within the VP meetings as well. VP is a type of institution that encompasses the emergency of new modernity configuration in the body corrections practices. The dissertation intends lastly to understand the studies related to body and obesity, in the knowledge realm of Social Sciences.

The following thesis aims to examine the social media use of the Weight Watchers, during a limited amount of time. The interest of losing weight seems to increase every year, after Christmas and New Years celebrations. This year, the Weight Watchers have been very active in advertising themselves during this period of time. In a time where a large portion of the world’s population is overweight or obese, health and healthy lifestyles are becoming more important, and the Weight Watchers could potentially be one small part in the solution for this problem. Through a multimodal critical discourse analysis, six social media posts have been analysed to see how the Weight Watchers are communicating with their followers and to examine whether or not the Weight Watchers are communicating any sort of ideology to their followers.