Anthony Synnott

Smell is a social phenomenon, given particular meanings and values by different cultures. Odours form the building blocks of cosmologies, class hierarchies, and political odours. They can enforce social structures or transgress them, unite people or divide them, empower or disempower. The authors argue that the sociology of smell is repressed in the modern West, and its social history ignored. This book breaks the "olfactory silence" of modernity. It offers the first comprehensive exploration of the cultural role of odours in Western history - from antiquity to the present. It also covers a wide variey of non-Western societies. Its topics range from the medieval concept of the "odour of sanctity", to the aromatherapies of South America, and from olfactory stereotypes of gender and ethnicity in the modern West to the role of smell in postmodernity. Its subject matter will fascinate anyone who likes to nose around in the inner workings of culture.

Much writing on men in the field of gender studies tends to focus unduly, almost exclusively, on portraying men as villains and women as victims in a moral bi-polar paradigm. Re-Thinking Men reverses the proclivity which ignores not only the positive contributions of men to society, but also the male victims of life including the homeless, the incarcerated, the victims of homicide, suicide, accidents, war and the draft, and sexism, as well as those affected by the failures of the health, education, political, and justice systems. Proceeding from a radically different perspective in seeking a more positive, balanced, and inclusive view of men (and women), this book presents three contrasting paradigms of men as heroes, villains, and victims. Revised and updated, and presenting data and studies from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, it offers a comparative and revised perspective on gender that will be of interest to scholars across a range of social sciences.

Much writing on men in the field of gender studies tends to focus unduly, almost exclusively, on portraying men as villains and women as victims in a moral bi-polar paradigm. Re-Thinking Men reverses the proclivity which ignores not only the positive contributions of men to society, but also the male victims of life including the homeless, the incarcerated, the victims of homicide, suicide, accidents, war and the draft, and sexism, as well as those affected by the failures of the health, education, political, and justice systems. Proceeding from a radically different perspective in seeking a more positive, balanced, and inclusive view of men (and women), this book presents three contrasting paradigms of men as heroes, villains, and victims. Revised and updated, and presenting data and studies from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, it offers a comparative and revised perspective on gender that will be of interest to scholars across a range of social sciences.

In this captivating book Anthony Synnott explores a subject which has been woefully ignored: our bodies. He surveys the history for thinking about the body and the senses, then focuses on specific themes: gender, beauty, the face, hair, touch, smell and sight. He concludes with a review of classical and contemporary theories of the body and the senses. Thinking about the body will never be the same after reading this book.

Much writing on men in the field of gender studies tends to focus unduly, almost exclusively, on portraying men as villains and women as victims in a moral bi-polar paradigm. Re-Thinking Men reverses the proclivity which ignores not only the positive contributions of men to society, but also the male victims of life including the homeless, the incarcerated, the victims of homicide, suicide, accidents, war and the draft, and sexism, as well as those affected by the failures of the health, education, political and justice systems. Proceeding from a radically different perspective in seeking a more positive, balanced and inclusive view of men (and women), this book presents three contrasting paradigms of men as Heroes, Villains and Victims. With the development of a comparative and revised gender perspective drawing on US, Canadian and UK sources, this book will be of interest to scholars across a range of social sciences.

Smell is a social phenomenon, given particular meanings and values by different cultures. Odours form the building blocks of cosmologies, class hierarchies, and political odours. They can enforce social structures or transgress them, unite people or divide them, empower or disempower. The authors argue that the sociology of smell is repressed in the modern West, and its social history ignored. This book breaks the "olfactory silence" of modernity. It offers the first comprehensive exploration of the cultural role of odours in Western history - from antiquity to the present. It also covers a wide variey of non-Western societies. Its topics range from the medieval concept of the "odour of sanctity", to the aromatherapies of South America, and from olfactory stereotypes of gender and ethnicity in the modern West to the role of smell in postmodernity. Its subject matter will fascinate anyone who likes to nose around in the inner workings of culture.

In this captivating book Anthony Synnott explores a subject which has been woefully ignored: our bodies. He surveys the history for thinking about the body and the senses, then focuses on specific themes: gender, beauty, the face, hair, touch, smell and sight. He concludes with a review of classical and contemporary theories of the body and the senses. Thinking about the body will never be the same after reading this book.