The bodily experience of the "Second Sex"

Deyhim, Maliheh (2017) The bodily experience of the "Second Sex". Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[img] [English] PDF - Accepted Version
Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission.

Download (802kB)

Abstract

In this thesis, I analyze the feminine style of movement and speech, which is imposed upon women by their oppressive situation. In order to pursue this investigation, I use Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological account of movement and speech to provide my study with a general account of these bodily experiences. I also use de Beauvoir’s account of the situation of women to explain how this situation encourages women to adopt a feminine style of being-in-the-world. Finally, I argue that in experiencing the world in a certain way, women typically adopt a feminine style of movement and speech. As a result of an oppressive social structure, women experience space as confined, and this leads to a limited experience of movement and speech, in which women’s creativity and freedom are restrained. I suggest that this analysis can be used to help explain the limited participation of women in practical and socio-political realms.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
URI: http://research.library.mun.ca/id/eprint/12978
Item ID: 12978
Additional Information: Includes bibliographical references (pages 68-69).
Keywords: Phenomenology, Embodiment, Oppression, Femininity, Movement, Speech
Department(s): Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of > Philosophy
Date: October 2017
Date Type: Submission
Library of Congress Subject Heading: Movement, Psychology of--Social aspects; Speech--Social aspects; Beauvoir, Simone de, 1908-1986. Deuxième sexe; Feminist theory

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over the past year

View more statistics