Ateneo - UPO

This module explores eating disorders (EDs) from a sociological perspective. Therefore, the “toolbox” will consist of theories and key concepts, especially from the sociology of health, deviance, and the body, serving as fundamental instruments for analyzing and interpreting the phenomena under study. Specific attention will be given to the so-called “social determinants” of EDs, namely the factors that influence their development, spread, perception, and treatment. From a critical perspective, the role of media, family dynamics, social and gender norms, as well as class structures and, more generally, inequality, will be examined.

Slides and scientific articles will be provided throughout the course.

To develop a sociological and critical understanding of eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, as well as the issue of obesity. This understanding will be framed in light of concepts such as stigma, social construction of normality, intersectionality, biopower, control, categorization, labeling, and embodiment.

None.

Lectures and laboratory sessions with group presentations and collective discussion of scientific articles.

None.

Evaluation of individual and group participation in laboratory sessions and a brief written paper.

• EDs as phenomena socially constructed and influenced by a variety of social, economic, and cultural factors.
• Sociological imagination: Viewing EDs as social problems.
• The sociology of health and the “social determinants” of EDs.
• The role of media, family, and school.
• The sociology of deviance and EDs: Examining stigmatization, categorization, and labeling.
• The sociology of the body.
• Key concepts for a critical and feminist sociology of EDs, e.g., social construction of normality, stigma, prejudice and discrimination, intersectionality, and embodiment.
• Reflections on biopower and social control: How institutions exercise control over bodies through dietary practices and health norms.

By the end of the module, students will be able to:

• Apply key sociological concepts to analyze eating disorders (EDs) from a critical perspective;
• Understand the social determinants of EDs, with particular attention to intersectional variables and dynamics;
• Develop a critical view of social norms and the media in the construction of beauty standards and eating practices;
• Reflect on individual and collective practices of categorization, labeling, and stigmatization, as well as on social control policies related to bodies and eating habits.