'Through a provocative analysis, this book contextualizes, explicates and critically analyses the work of those key theorists and texts that have been most influential in refocusing our gaze on human embodiment. Upon this foundation, the author builds her own distinctive theoretical Framework towards the analysis of embodiment. This is a valuable addition to the field of body studies' - Chris Shilling, University of Portsmouth Over the last 20 years, the social sciences have witnessed a remarkable inter-disciplinary surge of interest in the body. The latter is now recognized as a core concept and is the subject of intensive study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. But how can we map this work? What are the contributions and differences of the various approaches?This lucid and authoritative text: " Provides a critical evaluation of the work of Elias, Aries, Foucault, Bourdieu, Mary Douglas, Kristeva, Butler, Haraway and Bordo; " Guides the reader through the inter-disciplinary influence of these ideas; " Gives a clear and compelling analysis of the significance of the 'turn' towards the body; " Helps to understand the complex way in which embodiment is formed across different social formations. Clearly organized and powerfully expressed the book provides the best available guide to the 'turn to the body' in the social sciences.

克里根(Kate Cregan)

澳洲皇家理工大學(RMIT University)全球化研究院博士後研究員，在撰寫本書期間，曾擔任澳洲蒙納許大學(Monash University)政治系榮譽助理研究員。

她目前於全球化研究院進行一項為期三年的研究計劃，內容為胚胎幹細胞技術所造成地方性以至全球性社會衝擊。她的研究重點為社會倫理和身體形塑，特別是當中和醫療歷史和哲學所產生的關係。著作範圍涵蓋十七世紀倫敦解剖學和犯罪性(criminality)研究，人體組織的生物醫學買賣，以及關於暴力衝突中被殺害的非戰鬥者的弔念活動。對於身體形塑的認知如何隨著不同時間、空間和文化而變化，是她特別感興趣的課題。