The older woman's body is an example of the discontinuous nature of those beings who come under the rubric of woman and, as such, demontrates the impossibility of a unitary representation of woman. This thesis explores the social construction of the older woman's body both as abject and as 'docile/useful' and proposes how this abjectification can be re-inscribed as transgressive through a de-territorialization of the older woman's body.This thesis positions the older woman's body as (un)becoming because it lacks cultural intelligibility as representative of the feminine on the one hand and, on the other, because it disrupts normative ideals of femininity and eludes disciplinary practices. Sexuality is used as a resource to conjure, construct, reinforce and validate the 'ideal' woman, a model against which the older woman is redefined as asexual. I argue that the particular technologies employed in the production of the older woman's 'docile/useful' body are those of the health sciences. A 'docile/useful' body transforms the older woman into a knowable, treatable and profitable body through discourses of health. Mass mammographic screening is analysed in order to illustrate how the biomedical sciences are employed in the regulation of the older woman's body through the co-option of health promotion strategy as a disciplinary practice. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In 1931, judo became a compulsory subject in middle schools throughout Japan, over forty-years after Kanō Jigorō, judo's founder, had initially recommended it to government officials as something which should be included in the schools across the country. While this simple change in middle school curriculum may seem insignificant, it was in fact a watershed marking a new stage of the creation of an able and disciplined populace in Japan. This thesis will explain the significance of the inclusion of judo in schools by investigating the history of judo up to the point of its inclusion in schools, exploring the rhetoric of judo in terms of a larger discourse on "moral education" which was prevalent during the times, and finally an analysis of school judo—in terms of its physical practice as well as the ideology and rhetoric behind it—using the Foucauldian concept of "docile bodies."

In 1931, judo became a compulsory subject in middle schools throughout Japan, over forty-years after Kanō Jigorō, judo's founder, had initially recommended it to government officials as something which should be included in the schools across the country. While this simple change in middle school curriculum may seem insignificant, it was in fact a watershed marking a new stage of the creation of an able and disciplined populace in Japan. This thesis will explain the significance of the inclusion of judo in schools by investigating the history of judo up to the point of its inclusion in schools, exploring the rhetoric of judo in terms of a larger discourse on "moral education" which was prevalent during the times, and finally an analysis of school judo—in terms of its physical practice as well as the ideology and rhetoric behind it—using the Foucauldian concept of "docile bodies."

This study highlights a number of different aspects regarding uniforms and dress codes in the United Kingdom (UK) and Sweden. The study comprises three parts: a quantitative comparison of GCSE pass rates for schools in the UK that do and do not have school uniforms, a qualitative survey study of Scottish High School pupils' perceptions about their uniform and a qualitative interview study of Swedish teachers, administrators and pupils about their school dress, rules regarding school dress and school uniforms. Regarding whether uniforms improved academic results by comparing GCSE pass rates in the UK we were unable to find conclusive evidence to suggest that schools which had uniform policies performed significantly better than other schools. Regarding Scottish pupils’ perceptions of their uniforms, pupils from lower-educated backgrounds were more likely to perceive that they were told off by teachers about not wearing the correct dress. When asked whether pupils felt more equal compared to their peers, those from lower-educated background were more likely to think that uniforms do not help to level out class difference compared to pupils from better educated backgrounds. Regarding bullying, even though uniforms existed at the school studied bullying due to what pupils wore to school still existed and pupils perceived that bullying due to other factors such as physical appearance also occurred. Regarding the results from interviews with teachers and administrators in the Swedish town studied, most teachers took a fairly relaxed attitude towards pupils’ dress although the dress code of not wearing outdoor clothes in High Schools was policed quite strongly. Teachers saw the issue of female pupils dressing overtly sexually as the biggest problem and this was dealt with on an individual level rather than a class level. High school pupils’ opinions of their dress code varied. Some hated the school rule that they were not allowed to wear outdoor clothes, whereas for others it was not seen as a big deal. A number of pupils thought that what you wore in class does not affect their learning outcomes. Very few pupils thought that introducing a uniform would be a good idea. Pupils at Sixth Form College had a more mature attitude towards their dress and were able to reflect back on their experiences from High School. They did not think that the issue of dress was a major issue in Sixth Form College however this did vary slightly between the three schools studied. Pupils at two of the schools perceived the dress code of the third school as being more formal, but this was due mainly to prejudice according to a number of pupils. The large majority of Sixth Form College students thought that introducing school uniform would be a bad idea and that bullying would not be eradicated because pupils can always pick on other attributes, not just clothing. However there were a couple of Sixth Form College that thought that introducing it would be a good way to reduce peer-pressure to buy the right clothes in High School.

<p>This study highlights a number of different aspects regarding uniforms and dress codes in the United Kingdom (UK) and Sweden. The study comprises three parts: a quantitative comparison of GCSE pass rates for schools in the UK that do and do not have school uniforms, a qualitative survey study of Scottish High School pupils' perceptions about their uniform and a qualitative interview study of Swedish teachers, administrators and pupils about their school dress, rules regarding school dress and school uniforms.</p><p>Regarding whether uniforms improved academic results by comparing GCSE pass rates in the UK we were unable to find conclusive evidence to suggest that schools which had uniform policies performed significantly better than other schools.</p><p>Regarding Scottish pupils’ perceptions of their uniforms, pupils from lower-educated backgrounds were more likely to perceive that they were told off by teachers about not wearing the correct dress. When asked whether pupils felt more equal compared to their peers, those from lower-educated background were more likely to think that uniforms do not help to level out class difference compared to pupils from better educated backgrounds. Regarding bullying, even though uniforms existed at the school studied bullying due to what pupils wore to school still existed and pupils perceived that bullying due to other factors such as physical appearance also occurred.</p><p>Regarding the results from interviews with teachers and administrators in the Swedish town studied, most teachers took a fairly relaxed attitude towards pupils’ dress although the dress code of not wearing outdoor clothes in High Schools was policed quite strongly. Teachers saw the issue of female pupils dressing overtly sexually as the biggest problem and this was dealt with on an individual level rather than a class level.</p><p>High school pupils’ opinions of their dress code varied. Some hated the school rule that they were not allowed to wear outdoor clothes, whereas for others it was not seen as a big deal. A number of pupils thought that what you wore in class does not affect their learning outcomes. Very few pupils thought that introducing a uniform would be a good idea. Pupils at Sixth Form College had a more mature attitude towards their dress and were able to reflect back on their experiences from High School. They did not think that the issue of dress was a major issue in Sixth Form College however this did vary slightly between the three schools studied. Pupils at two of the schools perceived the dress code of the third school as being more formal, but this was due mainly to prejudice according to a number of pupils. The large majority of Sixth Form College students thought that introducing school uniform would be a bad idea and that bullying would not be eradicated because pupils can always pick on other attributes, not just clothing. However there were a couple of Sixth Form College that thought that introducing it would be a good way to reduce peer-pressure to buy the right clothes in High School.</p><p> </p>

Art has a long and nuanced history within the context of the prison. Prisoners have utilized wall drawings, tattooing, journaling, and other forms of creative expression to break the monotony of prison life. Over time, art has evolved in the prison context and has been utilized by researchers, therapists, and teachers as a method of rehabilitation that falls outside of more conventional methods such as talk therapy, drug treatment, and anger management programs. Arts programming allows prisoners to express themselves in new and creative ways, as well as the ability to build new skills and foster better relationships with themselves and each other. A review of the literature discusses the negative effects of imprisonment on the body. As a result of the violent and incapacitating nature of being caged, prisoners become mirrors of the carceral space. Bodies become rigid, condensed, hunched, or even bulky in order to survive. Dance is an opportunity for prisoners to find freedom within the walls of a prison, as well as more tangible benefits such as improving posture, flexibility, and giving prisoners new ways to express themselves through movement. This can lead to improved self-esteem, a sense of accomplishment, and fostering better relationships with themselves and others. Using Foucault’s concept of docile bodies as well as Goffman’s theory dramaturgy, this research serves to fill in gaps in the literature around how dance impacts the body and emotional well-being. Through one-on-one interviews with members of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, this paper will examine dance’s ability to free the body and help prisoners find a sense of belonging and identity unrelated to their criminality.

Thus far, the novel Naked Lunch has not been discussed from the aspect of critical animal studies, nor has it been connected to the theories of Michel Foucault. This essay however, argues that these diverse fields could be connected through the use of the simians that are frequently employed in Naked Lunch. By analyzing the metaphorical role of the simian, the structure of the normalization process can be revealed. Therefore the simian’s metaphorical role becomes to reveal the different stages character goes through in that process and ultimately revealing its negative effects. They also prove to employ the role of abnormality which normalization wants to subtract from the human in order to render her docile. By applying the power mechanisms such as signals, the concept of panopticism and the theory of the docile body to specific passages where simians are highly prominent, the claim of this paper can be demonstrated. Besides Foucault, the theories of Robin Lydenberg are also used consistently throughout the essay due to her valuable observations such as the struggle between body and mind.

The purpose of this essay is to examine how the novel My Year of Rest and Relaxation (2018 / 2019) by Ottessa Moshfegh, through the lens of dissociative feminism, can be interpreted as a critique regarding commodification of the body. To explore this claim, I discuss the protagonist’s dissociative feminist behaviour in contrast to her friend Reva’s femcel-behaviour. How the protagonist and Reva react to societal pressure in the form of beauty standards becomes the evidence of a critique that I believe Moshfegh is trying to tell throughout the novel. By examining how the two women are either showing approval or rejection of beauty standards either physically or psychologically, the theory of the docile body and culture industry is brought into the discussion. This leads to a discussion of why docile bodies are subjugated to beauty standards and if self-care routines are either done for the self or the observers’ gaze. I show evidence of how the novel criticizes a society that forces oppressive ideals upon women by discussing the thought process of the protagonist. This essay is therefore written from the perspective of the protagonist being the force against beauty standards and how through continuous dissociation, the protagonist is set free from societal norms, while Reva acts as a symbol for all the women that are mouldable. This essay analyses four passages that show how Moshfegh delivers an implicit critique through four distinct ways: dissociation, power, docility, and sedation. Finally, the essay shows evidence of how the novel on its last page creates a generalization of women, signalling that women must dare to break the patterns of oppressive ideals to become free individuals.