Skintight: An Anatomy of Cosmetic Surgery

Description

Cosmetic surgery is everywhere: we are surrounded by altered, enhanced, skinny and stretched celebrities, in a hyped media culture that focuses increasingly on the body beautiful. Once only associated with the rich and famous, cosmetic surgery is now widely available, advertised in magazines, doctors' surgeries, and even on television. In some parts of the world it has become an aesthetic and cultural norm, yet remains deeply troubling for many. Skintight argues that cosmetic surgery is the most provocative and controversial aspect of a new 'makeover culture'. Shows such as Ten Years Younger and Extreme Makeover demonstrate that 'fixing' the body is a way to improve lifestyle and uncover true identity. Meanwhile, celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Jocelyn Wildenstein demonstrate the horrors of extreme surgical alteration. Presenting a multidisciplinary approach, and examining a wide range of popular culture case studies from women's magazines, television, architecture and the Internet amongst others, Skintight dissects the realities of cosmetic surgery and culture.

Meredith Jones is based at the Institute for Interactive Media and Learning, University of Technology, Sydney.

'Cosmetic surgery has become one of the most polarizing topics of our time. While feminists have used it as an example of the impact of sexist notions of the perfect body, other cultural critics and performers see plastic surgery as a metaphor for the flexible body in global capitalism. Jones carefully navigates the critical and material terrains of cosmetic surgery and gives us a beautifully nuanced account of what she calls "makeover citizenry." This is a must-read for anyone interested in the body and global capitalism.' Judith Halberstam, University of Southern California 'Meredith Jones' excellent book playfully demonstrates the working of mediation in the current "makeover culture", in which our bodies and appearance are constantly being readjusted. It steers away from the familiar moralism towards cosmetic surgery while also raising important ethical questions about its specific procedures.' Joanna Zylinska, Goldsmiths, University of London 'Skintight is a brilliant analysis of the world-wide (and scary) normalization of MakeOver Culture and the rise of vanguard MakeOver Citizens deeply committed to their never-ending techno-perfectibility. Meredith Jones illuminates all the material and ideological pleasures and pains, the seductiveness, the horror, and astonishing beauty of these culturally-obligatory aesthetic/surgical metamorphoses. Her engaging, witty, compassionate and intellectually rich odyssey must not be missed!' Kathryn Morgan, University of Toronto