Traces of Body Historiography for the Social Sciences
Sergio Raimondo
In the past, intellectual reflection avoided the question of the body. Today, however, the body is at the centre of many disciplines, marking a significant shift in perspective. This article proposes an interdisciplinary analysis of the conceptual evolution of the human body, examining key authors such as Bakhtin, Elias, Foucault and Bourdieu, and transforming the body from a natural entity to a social construct. A particular emphasis is placed on the female body, exploring the changes in historical representations and the context of the struggle for women’s rights. The interdisciplinary perspective integrates iconographic sources and anthropological elements, highlighting gender differences as social constructs. The medicalisation of the female body has led to a biopolitical perspective, with the state intervening through specific legislation. Studies of women’s struggles for rights and legal protection have highlighted stages of liberation, but also persistent challenges. In conclusion, research in this area requires fuzzy logic, an appreciation of conflict and change, and an expansion of heuristic capacities, especially given the complexity of the concept of the body.
Keywords
Body, female body, history, Foucault.
