Be Specific Be Specific Essay Form With An Introduction Co

Be Specific Be Be Specificessay Form With An Introduction Conclus

Be specific. Be, be, specific! essay form with an introduction, conclusion, and supporting references from the reading materials. The feminist scholar Donna Hathaway famously wrote: “Bodies are not born, they are made.” Using three examples from any of the class readings and module topics this semester, discuss the parameters of Hathaway’s claim. In other words, how is the body (and perceptions of the body) culturally constructed? The first 3 files are for the first paper. Imagine you are an anthropologist from an alternative dimension set down in the U.S. in June 2020, amidst the pandemic, protests, and social upheaval. Write an ethnographic account of what you have learned about U.S. culture (can be New Orleans specific too). Use as your data at least two readings from class and topics we have discussed in class.

Paper For Above instruction

The assertion by feminist scholar Donna Hathaway that “bodies are not born, they are made” underscores the profound influence of cultural, social, and political forces in shaping perceptions and realities of the human body. This perspective challenges the notion of the body as a purely biological entity, emphasizing instead the ways in which societal constructs influence bodily norms, behaviors, and identities. Throughout this paper, three examples from class readings will be examined to illustrate how the body is culturally constructed and how perceptions around it are deeply embedded in societal parameters.

Firstly, in the reading on gender performance by Judith Butler, the concept that gender is a socially constructed performance rather than an innate trait underscores how bodies are shaped by societal expectations. Butler argues that gendered behaviors and appearances are enacted in response to societal norms, which effectively “train” bodies to conform to particular roles. This performative nature reveals that what we consider to be ‘natural’ gender expressions are themselves constructed through repeated social acts, thus making the body inherently malleable and socially conditioned (Butler, 1990).

Secondly, the discussion on race and the body in Edward E. Baptist’s work on plantation societies demonstrates how bodies of enslaved people were inscribed with racial meanings designed to justify exploitation and dehumanization. The physicality of enslaved individuals was regulated through codes and physical punishments, which in turn constructed racialized perceptions of bodies as inherently inferior or dangerous. These perceptions were not biologically determined but were manufactured through social and political institutions that used bodily control as a means of dominance and societal cohesion (Baptist, 2014).

Thirdly, the analysis of the body in contemporary beauty standards, as discussed in Susan Bordo’s essays on body image, reveals how cultural ideals surrounding slenderness or muscularity shape individual bodily perceptions and practices. The pervasive media narratives and advertising industries promote specific body types as desirable, leading individuals to modify and regulate their bodies accordingly through dieting, exercise, or cosmetic procedures. These practices reflect societal power over individual bodies, illustrating the claim that bodies are socially constructed rather than inherently natural (Bordo, 1993).

Hence, examining these examples collectively underscores Hathaway’s claim that bodies are made rather than born. They are shaped by societal discourses, practices, and power structures that define and redefine what constitutes acceptable, desirable, or normal bodily appearances and functions. As an anthropologist observing American culture in June 2020—a time marked by upheaval, protests, and pandemic-related uncertainty—I noted how public discourses about health, race, gender, and sexuality are continually influencing how bodies are perceived and managed. The societal response to COVID-19, for instance, involved the promotion of mask-wearing and physical distancing, which became social symbols representing conformity, civic responsibility, or resistance depending on personal and political identity.

In conclusion, Hathaway’s statement invites us to critically analyze the socio-cultural forces that shape bodily perceptions. As demonstrated through various readings and examples, the body is a site of cultural inscription, constantly reconstructed through social interactions, political ideologies, and media narratives. Understanding this process is essential for revealing the power dynamics at play and challenging normative assumptions about what bodies should be or look like.

References

• Butler, J. (1990). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Routledge.
• Baptist, E. E. (2014). The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism. Basic Books.
• Bordo, S. (1993). “Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body.” University of California Press.
• Hathaway, D. (Year). Bodies Are Not Born, They Are Made. [Source details if available]
• Other references as relevant from class readings and academic sources.