Thesis: (Define the body). This can be evident through scarification, tattoos and beauty standards. This can reveal how the body is sociallyconstructed by body modification, as these factors demonstrate the way in which different societies within different cultures have different standards of how a body should look. The Biopsychological Functionalism theory argues how humans require a sense of belonging, which elucidates the reasons for people modifying their bodies, which is to fit into a societies standards or a certain social group
Link to Pretty Modern
Anthropologist argument: Anthropologists argue that the "skin is a barrier" of "interior and exterior" expressions of individuality
Edmonds' ethnography
Examines the pervasive influence of beauty ideals on the construction and modification of the body in Brazil
Explores how individuals engage in various practices, including cosmetic surgery, dieting, and exercise, to conform to culturally specific standards of beauty
Brazilian women aspire to achieve the ideal of the "globeleza"
Characterized by a slim, toned physique and Eurocentric features
Motivation behind individuals' decisions to undergo cosmetic procedures
Reveals the social and psychological significance attached to bodily transformation
Edmonds documents the motivations behind individuals' decisions to undergo cosmetic procedures through interviews and participant observation
Pretty Modern: 'Delves into the medicalization of the body through the proliferation of cosmetic surgery in Brazil'
Medicalization of the body
Rise of the aesthetic surgery industry
Implications for notions of beauty, health, and self-esteem
Cosmetic procedures
Breast augmentation
Liposuction
Buttock implants
Cosmetic procedures are marketed as solutions to perceived bodily imperfections, reflecting broader societal anxieties surrounding physical appearance
Individuals
Viviane, a young woman who undergoes multiple cosmetic surgeries in pursuit of beauty and social acceptance
Embodiment and Identity
The body serves as a site for the negotiation of identity and social belonging
Edmonds' exploration
How beauty practices intersect with notions of class, race, and gender, shaping individuals' experiences of embodiment and selfhood
Cosmetic surgery
Often framed as a means of upward mobility for women from marginalized backgrounds, enabling them to access opportunities and social networks otherwise unavailable to them
Edmonds' approach
Uses ethnographic vignettes to illustrate the complex ways in which the body becomes a locus for the performance and negotiation of identity within Brazilian society
Pretty Modern: 'Situates the Brazilian beauty industry within the broader context of globalization and consumer culture'
Edmonds' book
Traces the transnational flows of beauty ideals, aesthetic norms, and medical technologies that shape the beauty practices of Brazilian individuals
Examines how global media, advertising, and celebrity culture influence perceptions of beauty and inform individuals' desires for bodily transformation
Provides examples of how Brazilian cosmetic surgeons capitalize on these global trends, marketing their services to both domestic and international clients seeking to enhance their physical appearance
Ethical Considerations and Body Politics
Edmonds grapples with the ethical implications of cosmetic surgery and beauty practices in Brazil
Critically examines the power dynamics inherent in the beauty industry
Questions who benefits from the commodification of the body and who is marginalized or exploited in the process
Discusses issues of consent, agency, and bodily autonomy, particularly in relation to the pressures faced by women to conform to unrealistic beauty standards
Prompts readers to reflect on the broader societal implications of beauty ideals and the politics of the body in contemporary Brazil