Urszula Niewiadomska-Flis - Böcker

Pathologizing Black Bodies reconsiders the black body as a site of cultural and corporeal interchange; one involving violence and oppression, leaving memory and trauma sedimented in cultural conventions, political arrangements, social institutions and, most significantly, materially and symbolically engraved upon the body, with “the self” often deprived of agency and sovereignty. Consisting of three parts, this study focuses on works of the twentieth- and twenty-first-century fiction and cultural narratives by mainly African American authors, aiming to highlight the different ways in which race has been pathologized in America and examine how the legacies of plantation ideology have been metaphorically inscribed on black bodies. The variety of analytical approaches and thematic foci with respect to theories and discourses surrounding race and the body allow us to delve into this thorny territory in the hope of gaining perspectives about how African American lives are still shaped and haunted by the legacies of plantation slavery. Furthermore, this volume offers insights into the politics of eugenic corporeality in an illustrative dialogue with the lasting carceral and agricultural effects of life on a plantation. Tracing the degradation and suppression of the black body, both individual and social, this study includes an analysis of the pseudo-scientific discourse of social Darwinism and eugenics; the practice of mass incarceration and the excessive punishment of black bodies; and food apartheid and USDA practices of depriving black farmers of individual autonomy and collective agency. Based on such an interplay of discourses, methodologies and perspectives, this volume aims to use literature to further examine the problematic relationship between race and the body and stress that black lives do indeed matter in the United States.

Pathologizing Black Bodies reconsiders the black body as a site of cultural and corporeal interchange; one involving violence and oppression, leaving memory and trauma sedimented in cultural conventions, political arrangements, social institutions and, most significantly, materially and symbolically engraved upon the body, with “the self” often deprived of agency and sovereignty. Consisting of three parts, this study focuses on works of the twentieth- and twenty-first-century fiction and cultural narratives by mainly African American authors, aiming to highlight the different ways in which race has been pathologized in America and examine how the legacies of plantation ideology have been metaphorically inscribed on black bodies. The variety of analytical approaches and thematic foci with respect to theories and discourses surrounding race and the body allow us to delve into this thorny territory in the hope of gaining perspectives about how African American lives are still shaped and haunted by the legacies of plantation slavery. Furthermore, this volume offers insights into the politics of eugenic corporeality in an illustrative dialogue with the lasting carceral and agricultural effects of life on a plantation. Tracing the degradation and suppression of the black body, both individual and social, this study includes an analysis of the pseudo-scientific discourse of social Darwinism and eugenics; the practice of mass incarceration and the excessive punishment of black bodies; and food apartheid and USDA practices of depriving black farmers of individual autonomy and collective agency. Based on such an interplay of discourses, methodologies and perspectives, this volume aims to use literature to further examine the problematic relationship between race and the body and stress that black lives do indeed matter in the United States.

This interdisciplinary volume investigates American serial television, exploring how food serves as a compelling lens to examine cultural narratives, societal dynamics, and the artistry of storytelling.As both a mirror and a molder of cultural values, television serves as a powerful platform for ideological discourse and public consciousness. Within this dynamic medium, the portrayal of food emerges as a fascinating lens through which cultural identities and social dynamics are both reflected and reimagined. This volume employs a rich array of methodologies to reveal how television shapes and reflects societal narratives, cultural norms, and personal identities. By intersecting literary and media studies with the vibrant field of food studies, a discipline that unpacks the intricate ties between food, culture, and identity, this volume explores how American identity is constructed, challenged, and redefined when food takes center stage in serial television. The chapters examine narrative-driven series such as The Brady Bunch, The Bear, Star Trek, Ted Lasso, Only Murders in the Building, Lessons in Chemistry, and others, emphasizing the role of food and drink in shaping characters, advancing plots, establishing settings, and driving conflicts to resolution. Through this exploration, the collection examines how culinary symbols on the small screen become a narrative device for interrogating the essence of American identity.The book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food studies, media studies, cultural studies, and literary studies.

This interdisciplinary volume investigates American serial television, exploring how food serves as a compelling lens to examine cultural narratives, societal dynamics, and the artistry of storytelling.As both a mirror and a molder of cultural values, television serves as a powerful platform for ideological discourse and public consciousness. Within this dynamic medium, the portrayal of food emerges as a fascinating lens through which cultural identities and social dynamics are both reflected and reimagined. This volume employs a rich array of methodologies to reveal how television shapes and reflects societal narratives, cultural norms, and personal identities. By intersecting literary and media studies with the vibrant field of food studies, a discipline that unpacks the intricate ties between food, culture, and identity, this volume explores how American identity is constructed, challenged, and redefined when food takes center stage in serial television. The chapters examine narrative-driven series such as The Brady Bunch, The Bear, Star Trek, Ted Lasso, Only Murders in the Building, Lessons in Chemistry, and others, emphasizing the role of food and drink in shaping characters, advancing plots, establishing settings, and driving conflicts to resolution. Through this exploration, the collection examines how culinary symbols on the small screen become a narrative device for interrogating the essence of American identity.The book will be of great interest to students and scholars of food studies, media studies, cultural studies, and literary studies.