Reading the body through a cultural lens

This article situates new ethnographical work in the context of the emerging field of the sociology of the hods. The author outlines some of the pressing issues raised in this field surrounding the body identity, and agency, linking them to theoretical developments in postmodern, poststructural, feminist, and other theories of contemporary culture. The author then looks at how these are addressed in new work on body modification, beauty pageants, and reproductive technologies.