Political Bodies/Body Politic : The Semiotics of Gender

'Political Bodies/Body Politic' draws on feminism, gender studies, and queer theory to examine how myth, symbol and ritual express belief systems. The book explores the operation of gender in a variety of social and historical contexts, ranging from feminist speculative fiction and systems of belief to popular culture and ancient historical texts. 'Political Bodies/Body Politic' makes an original contribution to religious and feminist studies in its examination of gender in human communication and belief systems. Toward understanding the complexity of gender as a concept and social reality, in this text the author engages symbol, myth and ritual to make apparent the levels of human communication that express the social and historical belief system from which each has emerged. Each chapter, then, is an examination of the deployment of gender in relation to symbol, myth and ritual within a particular social and historical location. Following Bruce Lincoln's lead, this text examines their deployment in discourse and their power to effect and affect society. This text is an original contribution to the field of religious studies in its gender work, as well as an original contribution to the field of feminist studies."--Publisher's description "A consistent and thoroughgoing analysis of gender has arisen in the theoretical locations of feminism, gender studies, and queer theory. Drawing upon some of the theories and coupled with the concepts of myth, symbol and ritual, it is the intention of this text to discursively engage the operation/deployment of gender in a variety of sites including feminist speculative fiction, systems of belief, popular culture, and ancient historical text A consistent and thoroughgoing analysis of gender has arisen in the theoretical locations of feminism, gender studies, and queer theory. Drawing upon some of the theories and coupled with the concepts of myth, symbol and ritual, Political Bodies/Body Politic discursively engages the operation/deployment of gender in a variety of sites including feminist speculative fiction, systems of belief, popular culture, and ancient historical text A semiotics of gender : prolegomena Feminist encounters with myth : Angela Carter The agon of men : masculinity and warfare Signifying demons : gender and the ritualised performance of possession and exorcism Spectacles of gender : performing masculinities in ancient Rome and modern cinema Sign-symbol and icon : deconstructing the Eliadean paradigm.