Fat, Messy, and Late: Unregulated Bodies in American Capitalism

This course examines disorganized bodies in 19th and 20th century US history and how slenderness, neatness, and timeliness became virtues. Through these lenses we study capitalism working upon individual bodies; the way these "moral virtues" generate forms of self-regulation; and the way these forms of self-regulation perpetuate the status quo. We draw upon history, sociology, anthropology, and critical theory, starting each section in the 19th century and moving to the present. Using our personal experiences, we examine how belief systems become internalized. This interdisciplinary course welcomes community health and biology concentrators as well as humanities and social science concentrators. Enrollment limited to 17 first year students and sophomores.