關於身體的文化與社會理論涵蓋很廣，80年代開始，在文化研究、女性主義理論、社會學、醫療社會學、STS等研究中，都已經有許多豐富成果與討論。早期的社會學反對生物化約論與生物決定論，並指出身體是社會建構的場欲。到了80 年代，美國社會學者提出，社會學忽略了身體議題以及身體的物質性，並指出身體社會學需要關注於「體現化」議題（embodiment）。所謂的體現化牽涉到的，是要挑戰身體與社會、自然與文化、物質與非物質的啟蒙二元對立關係。「身體」的「本質」問題也同時出現在女性主義、實在論等討論中。例如，女性主義者從Sex/gender的二分問題中探討生物學上的性化的身體（sexed body）如何被社會建構。傅柯的性史探討了現代個人主體的生產，與個人身體及性論述的關係。而這種對於embodiment與物質性的強調，是身體社會學學者主張的關鍵概念，此與文化研究、後現代主義的觀點在「實有」或「建構」的認識論基礎有所不同。

本課程以「身體社會學」命名，欲解構英美學界的「身體社會學」，藉由回顧女性主義、sts、醫療社會學不同次學門中的「身體」研究，重新思考「身體」的生物與社會概念。到底，什麼是強調身體embodiment 的學者所強調的「身體」概念？身體概念存在哪裡？與自我的關係為何？本課程著重於讓同學了解不同主題的身體社會學研究並且將焦點放在科技與社會（STS）研究中的身體議題，主要分為兩部分：1.性別化身體與身體社會學辯論；2.醫療、科技與身體。由於身體研究主題廣泛，在這個課程中，我們主要分析性別化身體有關的案例，包括厭食暴食、整形、月經症候群、乳房等「身體部位」（body part）在文化與醫療知識建構下的多元樣貌。

The cultural and social theories about the body cover a wide range. Since the 1980s, there have been many rich results and discussions in cultural studies, feminist theory, sociology, medical sociology, STS and other studies. Early sociology opposed biological reductionism and biological determinism, and pointed out that the body is a socially constructed field. In the 1980s, American sociologists proposed that sociology had ignored body issues and the materiality of the body, and pointed out that the sociology of the body needed to focus on the issue of "embodiment." The so-called embodiment involves challenging the binary oppositions of enlightenment between body and society, nature and culture, material and immaterial. The issue of the "nature" of the "body" also appears in discussions on feminism and realism. For example, feminists explore how the biologically sexualized body (sexed body) is socially constructed from the dichotomy of Sex/gender. Foucault's History of Sexuality explores the production of the modern individual subject in relation to the individual body and sexual discourse. This emphasis on embodiment and materiality is a key concept advocated by scholars of the sociology of the body. This is different from the views of cultural studies and postmodernism on the epistemological basis of "reality" or "construction."

This course is named after "Sociology of the Body" and aims to deconstruct the "sociology of the body" in the Anglo-American world. By reviewing the research on "body" in different disciplines such as feminism, STS, and medical sociology, we will rethink the biological and social concepts of "body". After all, what is the concept of "body" emphasized by scholars who emphasize body embodiment? Where does the concept of body exist? What is the relationship with self? This course focuses on allowing students to understand body sociology research on different topics and focuses on body issues in technology and society (STS) research. It is mainly divided into two parts: 1. Gendered body and body sociology debate; 2. Medical care, technology and the body. Due to the wide range of body research topics, in this course we mainly analyze cases related to gendered bodies, including anorexia and bulimia, plastic surgery, menstrual syndrome, breasts and other "body parts" (body parts) with diverse appearances under the construction of cultural and medical knowledge.

1.Young, I. Marion著，2007，《像女孩那樣丟球：論女性身體經驗》（On Female Body Experience: ”Throwing Like a Girl” and Other Essays）。商周出版。
2.Bordo, Susan著，1993， 《不可承受之重：女性主義、西方文化與身體》。江蘇人民出版社)。（Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. University of California Press）
3. 吳嘉苓、傅大為、雷祥麟合編，2004。STS讀本Ⅰ、Ⅱ《科技渴望性別》、《科技渴望社會》。群學出版社。
4. 王文基、王秀雲、郭文華編，2012，《意外多重奏：STS如何重組真相》。行人。
5. Davis, Kathy著、張君玫譯，1997，《重塑女體：美容手術的兩難》。巨流。
6. Harry Collins, Trevor Pinch著，李尚仁譯，2016。《科倫醫生吐真言：醫學爭議教我們的二三事》。讀書共和國。
7. 影片：《性高潮有限公司》(orgasm inc) http://blog.lib.thu.edu.tw/blog3/?p=5192

1. Young, I. Marion, 2007, “On Female Body Experience: “Throwing Like a Girl” and Other Essays. Published by Shang Zhou.
2. Bordo, Susan, 1993, The Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. Jiangsu People's Publishing House). (Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. University of California Press)
3. Wu Jialing, Fu Dawei, Lei Xianglin, 2004. STS Readers I and II "Technology Desires Gender" and "Technology Desires Society". Qunxue Publishing House.
4. Wang Wenji, Wang Xiuyun, and Guo Wenhua (eds.), 2012, "Unexpected Duo: How STS Reorganizes the Truth." pedestrian.
5. Davis, Kathy, translated by Zhang Junmei, 1997, "Reshaping the Female Body: The Dilemma of Cosmetic Surgery." Giant current.
6. Harry Collins, by Trevor Pinch, translated by Li Shangren, 2016. "Dr. Colen Speaks the Truth: What Medical Controversies Teach Us." Reading Republic.
7. Video: "orgasm inc" http://blog.lib.thu.edu.tw/blog3/?p=5192