Article Summary
The paper presents a sociological theory on the cause of a steady mental disorder. Although the evidences in support of the theory are based on previous formulations, Scheff develops a precise sociological theory that attempts to explain the cause and path of a stable mental disorder.
Using the concepts of the social institution of insanity, residual deviance, the societal responsibility of the individual with mental illness, and the divergence of the societal response such as denial and labeling, Scheff constructs a theory of mental disorder in which the psychiatric signs are thought of as violations of social norms, and stable “mental illness” to be a social role (Scheff, 1999).
Essential to this theory are 9 proposals that require experimental processes.
By restricting the forms of behavior that are to be covered, by basing the paper on previous findings, and by applying an entirely sociological approach (such as the theory of residual deviance), the author proposes a methodology in which the dynamics of mental disorder take place within the system consisting of the person exhibiting deviant behavior and those responding to it.
According to the theory designed here, the basis for the initiation, maintenance and end of the deviant conduct referred to as mental disorder are parts of the social system, and cannot be separated, hence, from endopsychic forms of behavior.
Fat is a Sociological Issue: Obesity rates in late modern, ‘bodyconscious’ societies
This paper surveys the factors involved in the current spiraling of obesity rates in the contemporary society, focusing both upon the causes of the high prevalence rates and its effects. Crossley contends that rates of obesity have risen rapidly in the last two decades, causing some people to talk of an imminent crisis and compelling governments and health institution to react (Crossley, 2004).
Many studies in the sociology of the body are centered on the social belief that certain ‘bodies’ are more acceptable than others, for example, slimness, fitness, and good health are socially acceptable practices. Proof of this assertion exists in the steadily rising number of health clubs in the UK and the corresponding number of subscriptions in the last decade.
Another trend that exists next to exercise is that of dieting. Diet books are among bestseller listings, besides, food consumption in response to recommended diets are very significant. A large number of persons ascribe to weight watching clubs and associations, known as ‘body-conscious society’ (Crossley, 2004).
Body fat affects the BMI and a value of 20 -25 BMI value is deemed normal, a value less than 20 is deemed underweight while a value of 25-30 is considered overweight, with a value greater than 30 considered obese. Obesity varies with age, and narrowly with age and social class, with women at a higher risk of becoming obese.
Due to the social concern, the author contends that the steadily rising rate of obesity is a social fact. This is evidenced in two ways, first, the statistics relating to obesity are normally given in societal perspectives, for example, obesity varies between individuals, and across societies, that is, it is a social variable. Secondly, the causative agent for the variation of obesity rates is social. Individual differences in levels of obesity, biological or psychosomatic, cannot be used to explicate on the variations in obesity rates.
There are two broad causes of obesity: lifestyle and modernity. We do less physical exercise, live a sedentary lifestyle and use several labor saving appliances at home and at work, consumption of high-calorie foods has increased both in frequency and quantity.
It worthy to note that social changes leading to a rise in obesity are related to class and gender variations, this is proven by the fact that obesity is lower among the lower class. The latter sections of the paper attempts to explain the relation between body and society and how fluctuations of the rate of obesity affect the society (illness and early death).
This paper targets a general population, especially one that is at a higher risk of becoming obese. This is derived from the fact that it informs of the causative agents of obesity and prevention. It may also be useful to sociologists trying to understand the link between body and the society.
Fat Ethics’ – The Obesity Discourse and Body Politics
The paper examines how facts about obesity are presented and availed to the public, and the ethical concerns arising from the public’s comprehension of obesity. Public understanding of obesity is frequently based on various sources of information that focus of cause and prevention of the disease, however, other health problems such as cancer do not receive similar coverage on the public domain, particularly relating to the ethical and moral elements.
Information availed to the public on the ‘obesity epidemic ’ through various media focuses on the grave effects of being obese, the scientific facts about obesity are restated to give authority and sureness to the allegations of the growing rates of the ‘epidemic’ (Rich & Evans, 2005). In their attempts to give a grim picture of obesity, these reporters often err, for example, the link between weight, size, and health is not as significant as we are led to believe.
It is obvious that obesity is a grave public concern with epidemic proportions, caused by failure to partake in physical exercises, consumption of fast foods, and alterations in our diets. While these are non-debatable scientifically proven facts, they are loaded with philosophies and cultural ideas about how we view ‘fatness’. A key characteristic arising from the obesity presentation is the weight accorded to ‘thinness’ and ‘weight loss’ as unanimously good. This belief arises from the perceived association between weight and health, the association far more complex as compared to the presentations in various media.
Another discourse on obesity is on the morality of the body. Numerous reports take a communitarian approach that views the body as in need of protection. A communitarian approach has traditionally related harm to society not on individualistic terms, but by ‘rates of incidence’ of some trend, for example, obesity is associated with persons of a particular social class. Such a presentation leads to the notion that our body is in need of protection from thee government, businesses and the broad social forces.
There are some discourses, however, that take a more humanistic view to weight, shape and value the range of body sizes, for example, a person may be fat and healthy. This discourse has gained acceptance widely after studies showed that obesity is not linked to excess mortality.
However, these alternative views take a lower position. Because of the media discourse in the public arena, people overestimate their vulnerability to certain health condition and this may create a moral panic that stimulates disordered connections with food and body.
This paper mainly targets persons who are obese or have obese children, relatives, or friends. Persons who give significant weight to the weight-health connection as it informs the reader that the connection is not as simple as thought. The paper enables a deeper understanding of the social nature of obesity and public discourses related to it.
Connection between Body and Mind
The main article presents a sociological approach to mental disorder (mind) while the two supplementary readings present a sociological approach to obesity (body). The two sets of papers increases an understanding of the connection between body and mind.
While the sociological theory used on the first paper focuses on mental disorder, the theories adopted in the other two papers explain the phenomenon of obesity, drawing on various sources to explain the social aspect of obesity, that is, how it affects and is perceived by the society.
The theory of residual deviance attempts to explain the cause and path of a stable mental disorder, integrating purely sociological elements to present a methodology that explains the perceived link between mental disorder and the society’s response to it. The other two readings also adopt a similar approach to explain the link between society and (social groups) and obesity.
The first paper informs us that norms that arise from social systems, or are considered significant by social systems, such as labeling of mental disorder as deviant behavior, are hard to eliminate. Reading the two papers, we observe a similar trend that pits social beliefs, such as weight-health connection, against scientific evidence that shows the two are not necessarily related.
References
Crossley, N. (2004). Fat is a Sociological Issue: Obesity rates in late modern, ‘bodyconscious’ societies. Social Theory & Health, 3(2):222–253.
Rich, E. & Evans, J. (2005). Fat Ethics: The obesity discourse and body politics. Social Theory & Health, 3(4): 341-358.
Scheff, T.J. (1999) The role of the mentally ill and the dynamics of mental disorder: A research framework, in Traub, S.H. & Little, C.B. (Eds), Theories of Deviance. State University of New York at Cortland, NYC, pp. 397-415.