Engaging Bodies: The Politics And Poetics Of Corporeality

When it comes to understanding our connection with the world, there is perhaps no more fundamental and fascinating aspect than our own bodies. The way we navigate through the physical realm, the way we experience pleasure and pain, and the way our bodies are perceived and treated by society are all topics of immense significance. In this article, we delve into the politics and poetics of corporeality, exploring the intricate relationship between the body and the world it inhabits.

The Poetics of Corporeality

From ancient Greek thought to contemporary art, the body has been a central subject of exploration and expression. It has been a canvas through which artists have conveyed ideas, emotions, and social critiques. The poetics of corporeality encompass a wide range of artistic mediums, including literature, visual arts, dance, and theater. Whether it's Shakespeare's intricate descriptions of the human form or Frida Kahlo's powerful self-portraits, artists have long recognized the body as a source of both raw material and profound inspiration.

The poetics of corporeality also extend to the realm of body language and nonverbal communication. Our bodies have a language of their own, capable of conveying emotions and intentions without words. From a smile that signifies friendliness to a clenched fist that communicates anger, body language plays a vital role in our everyday interactions. Understanding and interpreting these nonverbal cues can help us build empathetic connections and navigate social dynamics more effectively.

Engaging Bodies: The Politics and Poetics of Corporeality

by Ann Cooper Albright (Kindle Edition)

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1683 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	397 pages

FREE

The Politics of Corporeality

While the poetics of corporeality explore the artistic and expressive facets of the body, the politics of corporeality delve into the social, cultural, and power dynamics that shape our perceptions and treatment of bodies. Society assigns certain values and norms to different bodies, often perpetuating inequalities and injustices. Intersectionality, a concept developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw, highlights the complex intersecting identities such as race, gender, and class that shape how bodies are perceived and experienced.

The politics of corporeality also encompass issues related to body autonomy and bodily rights. Discussions around reproductive rights, consent, and bodily integrity are at the forefront of these debates. The right to make choices about one's own body without interference or judgment is an essential aspect of bodily autonomy.

Challenging the Status Quo

Engaging with the politics and poetics of corporeality allows us to challenge and reshape societal norms and expectations. By exploring and celebrating diverse bodily experiences, we can foster a more inclusive and empathetic society. Art that disrupts traditional representations of the body, movements advocating for bodily autonomy, and initiatives promoting body positivity are all powerful tools for driving social change.

Confronting and dismantling prejudices and discrimination based on body size, dis/ability, and gender identity among others, requires a collective effort. Intersectional activism that recognizes the interconnectedness of various oppressions plays a vital role in challenging systems of power that marginalize certain bodies.

The Future of Engaging Bodies

The exploration of corporeality is a never-ending endeavor. As our understanding deepens, new perspectives, ideas, and forms of expression emerge. The future of engaging bodies lies in ongoing conversations and creative engagement with the complexities of our physical existence.

So let us continue to celebrate the beauty and diversity of bodies, challenge the oppressive systems that constrain them, and embrace the politics and poetics of corporeality as a means to envision a more inclusive and equitable world.

Engaging Bodies: The Politics and Poetics of Corporeality

by Ann Cooper Albright (Kindle Edition)

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1683 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	397 pages

FREE

Winner of the Selma Jeanne Cohen Prize in Dance Aesthetics (2014)

For twenty-five years, Ann Cooper Albright has been exploring the intersection of cultural representation and somatic identity in dance. For Albright, dancing is a physical inquiry, a way of experiencing and participating in the world, and her writing reflects an interdisciplinary approach to seeing and thinking about dance. In her engagement as both a dancer and a scholar, Albright draws on her kinesthetic sensibilities as well as her intellectual knowledge to articulate how movement creates meaning. Throughout Engaging Bodies movement and ideas lean on one another to produce a critical theory anchored in the material reality of dancing bodies. This blend of cultural theory and personal circumstance will be useful and inspiring for emerging scholars and dancers looking for a model of writing about dance that thrives on the interconnectedness of watching and doing, gesture and thought.

Hardcover is un-jacketed.