Cyborgs and Barbie Dolls : Feminism, Popular Culture and the Posthuman Body

Bringing a lively and accessible style to a complex subject, Cyborgs and Barbie Dolls explores the idea of the "posthuman" and the ways in which it is represented in popular culture. Toffoletti explores images of the posthuman body from goth-rocker Marilyn Manson's digitally manipulated self-portraits to the famous TDK "baby" adverts, and from the work of artist Patricia Piccinini to the curiously "plastic" form of the ubiquitous Barbie doll, controversially rescued here from her negative image. Drawing on the work of thinkers including Baudrillard, Donna Haraway and Rosi Braidotti, Cyborgs and Barbie Dolls explores the nature of the human - and its ambiguous gender - in an age of biotechnologies and digital worlds. Cyborgs And Barbie Dolls Explores The Idea Of The 'posthuman' And The Ways In Which It Is Represented In Popular Culture. Toffoletti Considers Images Of The Posthuman Body, From Goth-rocker Marilyn Manson's Digitally Manipulated Self-portraits To The Famous Tdk 'baby' Adverts, And From The Work Of Artist Patricia Piccinini To The Curiously 'plastic' Form Of The Ubiquitous Barbie Doll, Controversially Rescued Here From Her Negative Image. The Book Draws On The Work Of Thinkers Including Jean Baudrillard, Donna Haraway And Rosi Braidotti To Explore The Nature Of The Human - And Its Ambiguous Gender - In An Age Of Biotechnologies And Digital Worlds.--jacket. Feminism, Technology And The Posthuman -- Ways Of Looking And Ways Of Being -- Barbie : A Posthuman Prototype -- Posthuman Monsters : The Erasure Of Marilyn Manson -- Communicating The Posthuman Way With Tdk -- Origins And Identity In A Biotech World. Kim Toffoletti. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [173]-197) And Index. "Cyborgs and Barbie Dolls explores the idea of the 'posthuman' and the ways in which it is represented in popular culture. Toffoletti considers images of the posthuman body, from goth-rocker Marilyn Manson's digitally manipulated self-portraits to the famous TDK 'baby' adverts, and from the work of artist Patricia Piccinini to the curiously 'plastic' form of the ubiquitous Barbie doll, controversially rescued here from her negative image. The book draws on the work of thinkers including Jean Baudrillard, Donna Haraway and Rosi Braidotti to explore the nature of the human - and its ambiguous gender - in an age of biotechnologies and digital worlds."-- Provided by publisher Contents......Page 6 List of Illustrations......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1. Feminism, Technology and the Posthuman......Page 20 2. Ways of Looking and Ways of Being......Page 42 3. Barbie: A Posthuman Prototype......Page 68 4. Posthuman Monsters: The Erasure of Marilyn Manson......Page 92 5. Communicating the Posthuman Way with TDK......Page 118 6. Origins and Identity in a Biotech World......Page 144 Conclusion......Page 172 Notes......Page 178 Bibliography......Page 184 Index......Page 210