This clear, critical analysis of the new sociological literature on the body provides an introduction to the most important traditions of thought which have informed social theories of human embodiment.

Surveying the range of social theories of the body, Chris Shilling offers a comprehensive and innovative assessment of the field. He analyzes naturalistic, social constructionist and feminist theories of the body, appraises the fundamental sociological contributions of Pierre Bourdieu and Norbert Elias, and demonstrates the centrality of the body to the traditional concerns of social theory.