Body Talk by Jane Ussher - 9780415153645

Taylor & Francis

A collection of analyses which provides a new materialist-discursive approach to human experience, reconciling both the traditional, (realist) and socio-cultural approaches. > \nPsychology has traditionally examined human experience from a realist perspective, focusing on observable 'facts'. This is especially so in areas of psychology which focus on the body, such as sexuality, madness or reproduction. In contrast, many sociologists, anthropologists and feminists have focused exclusively on the cultural and communicative aspects of 'the body' treating it purely as an object constructed within socio-cultural discourse.\nThis new collection of sophisticated discursive analyses explores this divide from a variety of theoretical standpoints, including psychoanalysis, social representations theory, feminist theory, critical realism, post-structuralism and social constructionism.\nBody Talk reconciles the divide by putting forward a new 'materialist-discursive' approach. It also provid.