Material Religion The Journal of Objects, Art and Belief
ISSN: 1743-2200 (Print) 1751-8342 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rfmr20
Thinking through the Body. Essays in Somaesthetics
Anne Koch
To cite this article: Anne Koch (2015) Thinking through the Body. Essays in Somaesthetics, Material Religion, 11:2, 270-272, DOI: 10.1080/17432200.2015.1059133
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17432200.2015.1059133
Published online: 01 Oct 2015.
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270 also Moors’contribution (28–9).Finally, Liz authorities inthe religious field(52);see almost emergeassemi-formalnew (female) but alsohowthesesamefashion bloggers fashion magazineformodest style, totheofflinenot onlyactasmainalternative tral role fashionbloggersplayandhowthey (e.g. 54).Shelooks,forinstance,atthecen- of restructuring thereligious communities own logicofadvertising,hyperlinking,and sive platformbutisunderstoodthrough its notonlyactsasapas- account theInternet heart ofReinaLewis’s contribution.Yet inthis alsoliesatthe The importanceoftheInternet tant role inbridgingthese boundaries (78–9). (and theanonymityitoffers) playsanimpor and MuslimwomenbutalsohowtheInternet sional encountersbetweenJewish,Christian, modest fashionnotonlyenablesinterconfes- Tarlo’s contributionweare witnesstohow enable discussionsinthisrespect. InEmma mine whatcountsasmodestybuttoequally for auniquevantagepointtonotonlydeter platformsprovideindustry” andhowInternet in theemergenceofthis“modestfashion underscore thecentralrole oftheInternet A secondaimofthisvolumeistherefore to the centralroleinthisrespect. oftheInternet ever, beimpossiblewithoutunderstanding these boundariestakesplacewould,how- spiritual superiority(109). that confirmtheHasidimintheirpositionof designer clothesintoadiscourseofroyalty der size)toinscribingone’s preference for standards (re-adjusting theneckline,shoul- techniques tore-adjust thedress tofitone’s designer clothes.Thisrangesfrom learning or “Hasidification”ofmanufactured and ties are involvedinacontinuousadjustment phy ofhowBoston-basedHasidiccommuni- Goldman Carrel whooffers aniceethnogra- illustrated through thecontributionofBarbara (29), Cameron (145)).Thisisalsoclearly and interpretation (seeforinstanceMoors therefore subjectedtocontinuousdiscussion est” or“halal”nature ofaparticulardress is than beingpre-given, determiningthe“mod- which also“transcendsidentity”(132).Rather dress embodyingasenseof“ordinariness’” Understanding howthenegotiationof - -
somaesthetics, the body:essaysin thinking through Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten(1714–1762) philosophyof Building ontheearly modern with (a)estheticsinapragmatist mode. somaesthetics, whichconnects philosophy Richard Shustermaniswell-knownforhis Florida-based emeritusphilosopher DOI: 10.1080/17432200.2015.1059133 Ludwig MaximiliansUniversityofMunich Reviewed byAnneKoch ISBN 9781107698505 Cambridge, CambridgeUniversityPress, Richard Shusterman,2012 relationships are continuouslyredefined. dominant beautystandards andinterfaith egory ofmodestytraditionalgenderroles, reflection itoffers onhowthrough thecat- faith approach itadopts,andtheanalytical to therolebroad oftheInternet, inter- and religion through theattentionitaccords ing contributiontotheliterature onfashion tions, Yet asidefrom theseunfortunateexcep- various contributionsinthesamevolume. were criticizedanddeconstructedbythe that itreproduces manyoftheclichésthat veiling andpatriarchy, yetdoessoinaway addresses theby-nowclassical questionof a remarkable intervention,ElisabethWilson all contributionssucceedthisendeavour. In and genderasincompatible.However, not essentializing accountsthattakereligion ion andforthemostpartmanagestoavoid the complexitythatsurrounds modestfash- ative approach, thevolumenicelycaptures 2011 (187). the NigellaLawsonburkinicontroversy in site ofsurveillance—asepitomizedthrough in whichthefemalebodyremains acentral of “modestfashion”whichhighlightstheway Hogard paysattentiontothemediaframing Through theadoptionofsuchacompar Modest Fashionremains aninterest- -
Material Religion Volume 11 Book Reviews Issue 2 and his determination of aesthetics as a which realizes a transmodal perceptive theory of sensory knowledge, he diverges experience of odor, taste, beauty, and from the phenomenology of the body and diverse haptic sensations, the book is divided perception. This approach is represented, into three parts. These could be paraphrased for example, by Maurice Merleau-Ponty, as: somatic knowledge (I), positions in an whom he criticizes (e.g. on pp. 48–9) for intellectual history of aesthetics (II), and postulating a primordial founding of the world pragmatist cultural politics in the form of in a universal embodied consciousness. aesthetic body politics (III), although these Instead, Shusterman relies more on insights themes are also found throughout all three of contemporary cognitive sciences when sections. he discusses, for example, in Japanese Part I explores types of somatic No theater as training for learning to link knowledge, providing the basis for the visual with proprioceptive sensations in title “thinking through the body.” The certain body postures, or when he gestures “practical somaesthetics” (45) of the body toward mirror neurons (pp. 212–13). scan mentioned above derives from the Shusterman’s philosophy is also interested Feldenkrais Method and is also reminiscent in an embodied style of living. With this of autogenic training, mindfulness exercises, pragmatist orientation, pointing out where or yoga nidra (chapter 5). What is specific thought makes a difference for living and to the somaesthetic method is the experiencing, he takes on ancient Greek ensuing disclosure of strategies on how notions of philosophy as an art of living. attention works via a conceptualization of This means two different things for him: introspection which delivers a very valuable on the one hand, a heightened body and dense description indeed. awareness is an aim that he suggests be Part II starts off with an intellectual implemented, for example, by teaching autobiography of the binational Israeli- the “body scan” in a classroom exercise. American Shusterman. The path of his life Thus, it becomes clear that his endeavor connects the crossing of disciplinary lines in the field of somaesthetics must also be and going beyond the limits of philosophical located in the field of self-technologies. In analytical aesthetics and towards pragmatist this vein, he compares the ideas of American aesthetics of the body and self-cultivation. transcendentalists with zazen practice in Somaesthetics often also implies emotion their intensifying of body awareness (chapter theory, as delights, passions, and pleasures 13). On the other hand, he also argues that are an integral part of bodily expressions. somaesthetics should play a crucial role for In this section, his contention with Rorty an aesthetic politics of bodies and art in the is revealing: An encounter with Rorty was pragmatist project of cultural politics. On this Shusterman’s reason to relocate from Israel last point, he suggests an understanding to the USA, leaving analytical philosophy different from his mentor Richard Rorty’s behind and immersing himself instead vision of philosophy as cultural politics in pragmatism, but his mentor rejects (chapter 8 and Part III). somaethetics as a meaningful approach Conceived as a continuation of his from his standpoint of strong linguistic earlier publication Body Consciousness, constructivism. Against Rorty, Shusterman a Philosophy of Mindfulness and holds on to nonlinguistic, nondiscursive, and Somaesthetics (2008), this new collection of nonpropositional forms of understanding 271 14 mostly revised articles from 2005–2011 and holds that the realm of experience, even applies this specific perspective to a wide if radically contingent, is bound in its modal range of topics: muscle memory, the openness to contingent institutions and somaticism in Edward Burke’s concept of social norms. Rorty is said to confine himself the sublime, an aesthetics of the sexual, the to a textual contribution about what people concept of style, everyday life aesthetics, think of such things; Shusterman proposes cultural differences of body consciousness, a meliorist and interventionist position on architecture, photography, and even an cultural politics. Somaesthetics devises extension to “posthuman somaesthetics” alternative ways of bodily well-being, beauty, of robotics, genetic engineering, and and the perception of ethnicity that are “more prosthetics. Dedicated to the curator of liberating and rewarding” (189). the Chinese Pavilion at the Venice Biennale Part III on the practical dimension of 2011, Peng Feng, in honor of his art project, somaesthetics is thus a strong plea for
272 inspiring reading. relevant contextsmakesthebookhighly openness towards apluralityoftopicsand to thereflectiveturn body(14).In sum,its initially overstressed, followed byaninward immediate andnondiscursivebodywas as areaction tocriticscharging thatthe this middlepositionisunderstandable noncognitive body. Ontheotherhand, an individualandsocial,acognitive path betweenasentientandexpressive, with outliningaharmony-seekingmiddle too preoccupied onthelevel ofbodytheory Greek philosophy–theapproach isperhaps “West,” but–inthefinest mannerofancient overly simplifiedcategoriesof“East”and cultural comparisonwhichgoesbeyond has thepotentialtoprovide abasisfor conglomeration ofessays.Somaesthetics the volumeremains somewhatepisodic,a knowledge oftheworld.Initspresent form, a more systematicelaborationofsomatic section wouldbringexplanativepowerto during recent decades,thatsuchacross- So muchworkhasbeendoneinthesefields further developthesomaestheticsconcept. science, orpsychosomaticsinorder to the areas ofneurophilosophy, cognitive where itdoesnotdelvemore deeplyinto The volumeremains partlyunsatisfying why thebodymatterssomuchrightnow. a methodofitsownorgeneraltheoryon The bookisnotsomuchaboutdeveloping it iscurrently beingdiscussedinGermany. approaches totheaestheticsofreligion as it isverysimilarinmanyofitspremises and bodily knowingandself-knowledge.Assuch, framework fordiscussionsandawareness of to provide anopenandinterdisciplinary regulation. it creates an“atmosphere” thatevades to criticizesocialconditions,insofaras exchange. Architecture mayalsobeused performances whichispartofthiscultural of yoga,meditationpractices,andart for thesoma-centered “East–West dialog” for thisself-localization.Shustermanallows from the1970sonwards provide thecontext and oftenreligious bodypracticesfound (e.g. 141,165).Themanybodytherapies somaesthetic perception canbeimproved self-cultivation, basedonthebeliefthat With somaesthetics,Shustermanseeks With diffuse and relatively younginterdisciplinary that materialculture studies“constitutesa practices (2012a:1).Khosronejad notes have inthestudyofreligious andcultural anthropology andmaterialculture studies the increasingly importantrole thatvisual Khosronejad outlinesinbroad brushstrokes Material CultureofIranianShiʿism, devotional andrituallife. pilgrimage networksandpracticesinShiʿi its myriadformsinshapingsaintveneration, study oftherole ofreligious materialityand important preliminary contribution tothe xiii). Thesetwoeditedvolumesmakean held attheUniversityofSt.Andrews (2012b: in IraqandtheNeighbouringCountries” the secondin2010on“SaintVeneration 2006 atOxford and MaterialCulture ofIranianShiʿism”in co-organized withJamesAllanonthe“Art conference thatPedramKhosronejad veneration; thefirst,aninternational material culture, pilgrimage, andsaint proceedings focusingonaspectsofShiʿi Both volumesreviewed here are conference DOI: 10.1080/17432200.2015.1059134 University ofToronto Reviewed byKaren G.Ruffle, ISBN: 978-1-907774-14-0 Wantage: SeanKingstonPublishers Pedram Khosronejad, ed.,2012b. Neighbouring Countries Pilgrims inIranand Saints andTheir ISBN: 978-1848851689 London: I.B.Tauris Pedram Khosronejad, ed.,2012a. in ShiʿiIslam and ReligiousDevotion Shiʿism: Iconography Culture ofIranian The ArtandMaterial In theIntroduction toTheArtand University (2012a:xiv),and
Material Religion Volume 11 Book Reviews Issue 2