Lecture Week 9 Health, Illness & Aging 2024

MUSCLE RESPIRATORY ENDOCHI SYSTEM SYSTEM SYSTEM AZ 1201 - WEEK 9 REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM THE BODY ~ HEALTH, ILLNESS & AGING SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

• Our bodies are shaped by societal influences, norms, and values.

• Social experiences affect body perceptions, leading to different treatments based on factors like age.

• The sociology of the body examines how social factors influence bodily experiences.

THE BODY – HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Control by the State

• The control of the population's minds and bodies is a key aspect of state policy.

• Michael Foucault's work sheds light on the medical profession and state surveillance over populations.

Disciplinary Society

• The late 18th century marked the rise of a disciplinary society focused on human biology and national wealth.

• This involved demographic regulation and anatomical discipline over individual bodies.

REGULATING POPULATION

Population as an Entity

• A population is treated as a whole, with specific properties affecting national characteristics.

• Key variables include productivity, employment rates, health, etc.

Public Regulation of Sexuality

• Fertility and health are linked to sexual activity, leading to state regulation through surveillance techniques.

• Ideas of bio-politics emerged to control the 'social body' through demographic measures.

DISCIPLINING THE BODY

Mechanisms of Control

• Foucault argued for optimizing the body's capabilities for societal efficiency.

• Physical punishments historically reaffirmed state power through public spectacles.

Examples of Punishment

• Extreme tortures used to deter crime illustrate the harshness of disciplinary methods in maintaining order.

NEW TECHNIQUES OF SOCIAL CONTROL

• Late 18th-century techniques aimed to influence minds by disciplining body behaviors in various institutions (prisons, clinics, schools).

• The 'sick body' concept arose, attributing medical needs to individuals needing treatment.

THE ‘SICK BODY’

Medical Gaze

• The sick body’s treatment focuses on clinical views, often categorizing patients merely by medical conditions.

• Various specialist doctors (physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists) scrutinize the sick.

CONTROLLING SEXUALITY

Normativity in Society

• Societal norms dictate acceptable sexual behaviors, controlling the social bodies.

• Sexual 'deviances' faced scrutiny and treatment within a medical framework.

HEALTH, ILLNESS & AGING

Interrelated Fields

• Health, illness, and aging are crucial areas in sociological studies of the body.

HEALTH AND THE BODY

Technology's Influence

• Advances in science and technology redefine our bodies, leading to dilemmas such as the rise in plastic surgery and eating disorders.

• Giddens links eating disorders to wider social changes like globalization.

ANOREXIA AS A SOCIAL DISEASE

Context of Anorexia

• Predominantly affects women (90% of cases); influenced heavily by social and cultural pressures for thinness.

• Historical variations of body ideals show dynamic shifts in societal perceptions.

Bulimia Nervosa

• Bulimia often coexists with anorexia, with individuals oscillating between starvation diets and binge/purge cycles.

EATING DISORDERS

Global Spread

• Eating disorders are increasingly recognized worldwide, including regions like the Middle East and Asia.

• Foucault refers to 'social technologies' as influences that shape modern perceptions of the body.

Cultural Impact on Eating Habits

• Growing awareness of diets driven by access to information and abundance of food creates a tension related to body image.

ILLNESS AND THE BODY

Sociological Perspective

• Sociologists focus on how illnesses are labeled and understood by society.

• Talcott Parsons introduced the concept of 'sick role'—the expected behaviors for the ill.

AGING AND THE BODY

Social Structure of Age

• Age influences behaviors and societal roles; aging is recognized as both a biological and socially constructed process.

• Cultural practices around age vary widely, affecting societal organization.

AGEISM

Discrimination based on Age

• Ageism affects all age groups, but older people experience the most significant negative stereotypes.

• Society's view of older people often includes perceptions of being burdensome.

Gender and Ageism

• Gender plays a role in how aging is perceived: men often maintain prestige while women face stigma for loss of beauty and vitality.

MODERNITY AND AGEISM

• Modern social changes devalue traditional knowledge of older people due to shifts in technology and education.

• Some may benefit from social improvements, but not uniformly across demographics.

FOULCAULT'S BACKGROUND

Biography

• Michel Foucault (1926-1984) studied various disciplines, moving from philosophy to psychiatry, focusing on the medical sciences.

FOULCAULT’S MAJOR WORKS

• Key Publications include:

  • Madness and Civilization (1961)

  • Birth of the Clinic (1963)

  • Discipline and Punish (1975)

  • History of Sexuality (1976, 1984)

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ADDITIONAL PAGES

• Pages 34 to 36 reflect the conclusion and biography of Michel Foucault.