Abstract
The task of this article is to theorize on the matter of bodywork in relation to health and thereby propose a theoretical framework that can enlighten our understanding of bodywork in a ‘health society’. With the ambition of understanding bodywork in a (hyper)modern era, characterized by a strong individualism and the search for performance, the body is here conceived as a capital. The body as a site of investment can be improved, worked upon and has an impact on how the individual distinguishes him/herself in social space. Finding inspiration in the sociology of the body and the anthropologist Le Breton’s approach to the body as an ideal observatory of the social context (1985), this article will explore how a particular rationale towards the body can be observed among some gym goers in Denmark, more precisely younger men and middle-aged women. On the basis of narratives acquired through interviews, it is stressed in this article that bodywork evolves around a general will to more health. This rationale can be identified as body management where the gym goers act in order to ensure a performative health.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andrieu, B. (1993) Le Corps dispersé: une histoire du corps au XXé siècle. Paris: L’Harmattan.
Atkinson, M. (2007) Playing with fire: Masculinity, Health and sports supplements. Sociology of Sport Journal 24 (2): 165–186.
Aubert, N. (2008) Les pathologies hypermodernes: expression d’une nouvelle normalité? International Review of Sociology – Revue Internationale de Sociologie 18 (3): 419–426.
Bauman, Z. (1998) Postmodern adventures of life and death. In: G. Scambler and P. Higgs (eds.) Modernity, Medecine and Healh. Medical Sociology Towards 2000. London and New York: Routlegde, pp. 217–232.
Bauman, Z. (2000) Liquid Modernity. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
Beck, U. (1992) Risk Society. London: Sage Publications.
Becker, H. (2007) Telling about Society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Canguilhem, G. (2008) Health: Crude concept and philosophical question. Public Culture 20 (3): 466–477.
Canguilhem, G. (2009) Le normal et le pathologique. Paris, France: Quadrige/PUF.
Crawford, R. (1980) Healthism and the medicalization of everyday life. International Journal of Health: Services, Planning, Administration, Evaluation 10 (3): 365–388.
Ehrenberg, A. (1991) Le culte de la performance. Paris, France: Calmann-Lévy.
Featherstone, M., Hepworth, M. and Turner, B. (eds.) (1991) The Body: Social Process and Cultural Theory. London; Thousand Oaks, CA; New Delhi, India: Sage Publications.
Featherstone, M. (1999) Body modification: An introduction. Body & Society 5 (2–3): 1–13.
Foucault, M. (1976 [2001]) La politique de la santé au XVIIIe siècle. In: D. Defert and F. Ewald (eds.) Michel Foucault. Dits et écrits II. 1976-1988. Paris, France: Quarto Gallimard, pp. 13–28.
Frank, A. (1990) Bringing bodies back in: A decade review. Theory, Culture and Society 7 (1): 131–162.
Giddens, A. (1991) The Consequences of Modernity. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Halkier, B. (2010) Focus groups as social enactments: Integrating interaction and content in the analysis of focus group data. Qualitative Research 10 (1): 71–89.
Hansen, J. (2010) Hvorledes idræt blev til folkesundhed. Forum for idræt, Historie og Samfund, 26 Årgang (2) Odense: University of Southern Denmark, pp. 9–20.
Kickbush, I. (2007) Health governance: The health society. In: D. McQueen, I. Kickbusch, L. Potvin, J.M. Pelikan, L. Balbo and T. Abel (eds.) Health and Modernity: The Role of Theory in Health Promotion. New York: Springer, pp. 144–161.
Kirkegaard, K. L. (2010) Sundhed for millioner, delrapport 5: Fitnesskultur mellem forening og forretning- aktive fitnessudøveres træningsmotiver, tilfredshed og selvvurderet sundhed. København, Denmark: Idrættens Analyseinstitut.
Kirkegaard, K. L. (2012) Gymnastikkens placering i en sundheds-og fitnesskultur. København, Denmark: Idrættens Analyseinstitut.
Lash, C. (1991) The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations. New York and London: Norton Paperback.
Le Breton, D. (1985) Corps et societé: essai de sociologie et d’anthropologie du corps. Paris: Librairie Méridiens- Klincksieck.
Le Breton, D. (1997) La sociologie du corps. Paris: Que sais-je?.
Lipovetsky, G. (1993) L’ère du vide: Essaies sur l’individualisme contemporain. Paris, France: Gallimard.
Lipovetsky, G. and Charles, S. (2006) Les Temps Hypermodernes. Paris, France: Grasset.
Lupton, D. (1999) Developing ‘the whole me’: Citizenship, neoliberalism and the contemporary health and physical education curriculum. Critical Public Health 9 (4): 287–300.
Pedersen, I. K. (2010) Doping and the perfect body expert: Social and cultural indicators of drug use in Danish Gyms. Sport in Society: Culture, Commerce, Media, Politics 13 (3): 503–516.
Petersen, A. (2010) Editorial. Healthy living and citizenship: An overview. Critical Public Health 20 (4): 391–400.
Queval, I. (2004) S’accomplir ou se dépasser. Essai sur le sport contemporain. Paris, France: Gallimard.
Maguire, S. J. (2008) Fit for Consumption: Sociology and the Business of Fitness. London and New York: Routledge.
Rose, N. (1999) Powers of Freedom: Reframing Political Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Shilling, C. (1993) The Body and Social Theory. Theory, Culture and Society. London; Thousand Oaks, CA; New Delhi, India: Sage Publications.
Sundhedsstyrelsen. (2013) Forebyggelsespakke – Fysisk aktivitet. København, Denmark: Sundheds styrelsen.
Thualagant, N. and Pfister, G. (2012) The fight against fitness doping in sports clubs – Political discourses and strategies in Denmark. Performance, Enhancement and Health 1 (2): 86–93.
Tiggemann, M. and Williamson, S. (2000) The effect of exercise on body satisfaction and self-esteem as a function of gender and age. Sex Roles 43 (1/2): 119–127.
Turner, B. (1992) Regulating Bodies: Essays in Medical Sociology. London and New York: Routledge.
White, P., Young, K. and Gillett, J. (1995) Body work as a moral imperative: Some critical notes on health and fitness. Loisir et Société 18 (1): 159–182.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thualagant, N. Body management and the quest for performative health. Soc Theory Health 14, 189–206 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1057/sth.2015.28
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/sth.2015.28