Obesity: A Study of the Body in Popular Science Discourse
Date
2010-01-12T20:52:22Z
Authors
Price, Suzanne
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Abstract
This thesis evaluates how the fat body is constructed in the popularizations of scientific obesity studies. This is accomplished through discourse analysis, including examination of the vocabulary used in describing the fat body and analysis of the narratives of causation- causes of obesity and consequences of obesity- in the news articles. This study found that the fat body is viewed as Other, an idea strengthened by the characteristics of popularizations as outlined by Fahnestock and Carosso, which increase the ability of the narratives to name causes and consequences of fat bodies. Furthermore, the portrayal of obesity as contagious demonizes the obese as bodies to be avoided. Finally, the deprivation of agency for the obese denies the fat body a voice and power within the circulating fatness debate.
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Keywords
Obesity, Discourse, Body, Fat, Popular science