Our bodies: An Anthropological Perspective

"Maori moku tattooing expresses the status of a wealthy and admired warrior, whereas the haphazard tattooing of a Borstal boy symbolises membership of a group; Ibo facial scarification indicates tribal identity, while German duelling scars are signs of virility” wrote anthropologist Robert Brain.

What do our bodies mean to us? Here and elsewhere? How and why do we display our bodies? Hide them? Decorate them? Alter them? Care for them? How do we understand our bodies?

Anthropologists take a holistic view of human development and diversity. They gather evidence from many sources including popular culture – art, films, literature, magazines, music, galleries, museums, the internet - as well as from direct observation and academic texts. They use this evidence to compare the ways people in different communities behave and the beliefs underlying that behavior. One important and interesting area of study concerns our bodies. What similarities and differences do we find in beliefs and behavior around human bodies in different cultures across space and time? What is the effect of those different traditions? What happens when those traditions change – whether through drift or intent? What about the values involved?

The emphasis on this course will be on discussion, sharing ideas based on the cross-cultural material provided in class as well as our own individual experiences.

The course is for anyone who is interested in finding out what Anthropology can contribute to our understanding of our bodies. The only requirement is that you are open-minded, prepared to contribute to discussion, and interested in people and their ideas.

By the end of the course you should be able to:

• Use examples to compare beliefs and behaviour about our bodies in different cultures.

• Analyse at least one example of the significance of a belief about our bodies in a particular society

• Evaluate the usefulness of anthropology in understanding different approaches to our bodies.