Nakedness, Shame, and Embarrassment a Long-Term Sociological Perspective Figurationen

Figurationen. Schriften zur Zivilisations- und Prozesstheorie Barbara Górnicka Nakedness, Shame, and Embarrassment A Long-Term Sociological Perspective Figurationen. Schriften zur Zivilisations- und Prozesstheorie Band 12 Herausgegeben von Annette Treibel, Karlsruhe, Deutschland in Zusammenarbeit mit Helmut Kuzmics und Reinhard Blomert Barbara Górnicka Nakedness, Shame, and Embarrassment A Long-Term Sociological Perspective Dr. Barbara Górnicka School of Sociology University College Dublin Dublin, Ireland Figurationen. Schriften zur Zivilisations- und Prozesstheorie ISBN 978-3-658-15983-2 ISBN 978-3-658-15984-9 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-15984-9 Library of Congress Control Number: 2016954528 Springer VS © Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer VS imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH The registered company address is: Abraham-Lincoln-Str. 46, 65189 Wiesbaden, Germany Moim rodzicom Preface People often ask me where my interest in studying nudity ‘up-close’ came from, suspecting me of having hidden quirks and inklings towards exhibitionism. The truth is that when I was searching for an appropriate topic for my doctoral study, I was enthusiastic about sociology and yet at the same time feeling rather disillu- sioned about the world in general. I could see how hard it was to influence any sort of positive change. Instead, I decided to find a topic that would keep me curious and interested for the next four to five years of my life – not something policy-orientated that would make me feel helpless and depressed. So off I went to join a local naturist club for a year, and more or less ‘guinea-pigged’ myself through my fieldwork. Am I a newly converted naturist? No. At the same time, I came to understand how pleasurable swimming could be when the water on my own bare skin wrapped the body in its silky cocoon. Or the feeling of a warm wind dancing all over my naked body on a sunny day, without a sweaty piece of Lycra or some similarly awful contraption supposedly designed to protect my modesty. As a woman, paradoxically, I would feel less sexually objectified when lying naked on a naturist beach than when wearing a bikini on a ‘textile’ beach. It is something I shall try to explain in my book; but, to fully grasp what I am talking about, everyone should try it for themselves at least once in their life. Is this an ethnographic study? I don’t think so. I like to see it as an honest sociological account, using carefully balanced levels of involvement with the topic in order to engage with it and understand it better. It was not an easy study to do; it took a lot of facing up to my own strong emotions and fears, followed by quite a bit of distancing from the data gathered. The more strongly I felt about it, the more I was convinced of how important it was to keep at it and how little we still know about our hang-ups concerning naked bodies. I can only hope that readers will be able to appreciate the levels of honesty here, both on the part of the re- spondents and of the investigator, and will not cringe at the sometimes embar- rassingly detailed descriptions. I have to thank many people for their help in writing this book. First and foremost I would like to thank Professor Stephen Mennell, my mentor, friend and PhD supervisor at University College Dublin. I often wonder how my life would have turned out if I had not taken his class as an undergraduate in the last year before his retirement. I thank him for his support and patience, for always believing in me (especially when I did not), and for being a great source of inspi- ration to me. I am especially grateful for his relentless support and guidance 8 Preface during this particularly difficult last year while I have been revising this book for publication. He has made me the sociologist I am today and I hope this book will make him proud. I would also like to thank Barbara Mennell for her hospitality and her help in copy-editing this book. Many thanks, too, to Professor Tom Inglis for all his support, guidance, and making time to read my chapters despite his retirement, and always being a source of good discussion. I feel truly fortunate to have had both him and Ste- phen Mennell as my supervisors. I should like to thank the Norbert Elias Foundation for its support, the many opportunities they offered me to learn a lot and to become part of a great network of researchers. The people of Club Nautica and all the other naturists in Ireland must re- main nameless here, but I would like to thank them for their trust, help, and openness towards me and for making this study possible. I owe a great deal of gratitude to my family, especially to my dear parents for all their love and support. I know it was not easy to put up with me while I was writing this. To my sister Marta and her husband Michał, for always being loving and understanding, and their supply of great wine. To my brother Marcin and his wife Anna, for all their support and for looking after my finances back home. And finally thanks to my nieces Maja, Iga and Nina, three little monsters who always bring a smile to my face. Cas Wouters has been a true friend to me over these past few years, made me laugh, listened to me moaning, provided cups of best peppermint tea … and other herbs. And Jason Hughes has tirelessly given encouragement and support to me and my work. I would like to thank several other people – Helmut Kuzmics (for his help in publishing this book), John Goodwin, Katie Liston, Paddy Dolan, John Connol- ly, Andrew Linklater, Steve Quilley, Jonathan Fletcher, Seán L’Estrange, Robert van Krieken and, sadly, the late Amanda Rohloff – their brilliance and passion for sociology rubbed off on me. It was always inspiring to be in their company. And to Hugh, Gerry and Maurice O’Neill for giving me a roof over my head when times were hard, and always understanding and supporting my academic endeavours. Last but not least, big thanks to all my friends and colleagues, for their support and love, for giving me strength and a shoulder to cry on, especially Sophia Pallaro, Jean Murray and Ger Donnelly, Russell Ó Ríagáin, Irem Ӧzgӧren Kinli, Kat Hatzis, Maria Keys, Magda Ściańska, Ciaran Ward, Eddie Arthurs, Conor Nolan, and Philip Errity. Contents Preface .................................................................................................................. 7 List of Illustrations .............................................................................................. 11 1 Setting the nude scene ............................................................................... 13 1.1 Main research problems and questions .............................................. 15 1.2 Earlier academic studies of nudism and nakedness ........................... 15 1.3 Theoretical and conceptual background: dealing with the problem of shame and naked bodies ................................................................ 21 1.4 Outline of the book ............................................................................ 26 2 Among the naturists .................................................................................. 29 2.1 Gaining access to Club Nautica ......................................................... 30 2.2 The first swim .................................................................................... 34 2.3 St Valentine’s Day Party (18 February 2012) .................................... 38 2.4 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 42 3 From lewd to nude: becoming a naturist ................................................ 45 3.1 The initiation-stage naturist: learning how to be a ‘real naturist’ ...... 48 3.2 The first naturist experiences ............................................................. 49 3.3 Naturist codes of behaviour ............................................................... 52 3.4 Body management and self-restraint .................................................. 56 3.5 The established stage: becoming a ‘real naturist’ .............................. 63 3.6 The naked body versus the sexual body ............................................. 70 3.7 The conflict of identity....................................................................... 77 3.8 The transparency issue ......................................................................

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