Description
Book SynopsisTraits that signal belonging dictate our daily routines, including how we eat, move, and connect to others. In recent years, "fat" has emerged as a shared anchor in defining who belongs and is valued versus who does not and is not. The stigma surrounding weight transcends many social, cultural, political, and economic divides. The concern over body image shapes not only how we see ourselves, but also how we talk, interact, and fit into our social networks, communities, and broader society.
Fat in Four Cultures is a co-authored comparative ethnography that reveals the shared struggles and local distinctions of how people across the globe are coping with a bombardment of anti-fat messages. Highlighting important differences in how people experience "being fat," the cases in this book are based on fieldwork by five anthropologists working together simultaneously in four different sites across the globe: Japan, the United States, Paraguay, and Samoa.
Through these cas
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: How and Where We Did the Study Chapter 3: Futotteru (Fat) In Osaka, Japan Chapter 4: Fat in Peri-Rural Georgia, USA Chapter 5: Gordura (Fat) In Encarnación, Paraguay Chapter 6: Lapo’a (Fat) In Apia, Samoa Chapter 7: The Bigger Picture: Shared Beliefs about Fat Chapter 8: Conclusions: A Global Perspective on Weight Appendix A: Five Ethnographers with Five Perspectives Appendix B: Research Methods Appendix C: Fat in Four Cultures Interview Protocol Appendix D: Participant Information across All Sites Appendix E: Recommendations and Insights Notes References
