Barbara Gornicka
Supervisor: Professor Tom InglisThesis title: Beyond the Naked Eye: A Qualitative Study of Naturist Movement in Ireland
Biographical Note:
The main aim of my study is to make a contribution to the rapidly developing area of sociology of the body, in this case the naked human body – study of which seems generally to be subsumed under the standard headings of ‘human sexuality’ or of ‘pornography’. I consider that nudity/nakedness should be treated as a topic in its own right, and nudist communities are a perfect context in which to do so.
According to the some previous studies conducted in various parts of the world, naturist/nudist communities have been able to ‘strip’ the naked human body of its sexualized character. That is why, in my research, I seek to understand the mechanisms and codes of social organization of the naturists in Ireland. It is very important to cast a light on their experiences and on the legitimization of their choice. There are also strong reasons to believe that attitudes towards our own naked bodies are shaped by various cultural traits (for example, religion in the Irish case), and these traits tend to differ between countries. Irish nudists could be treated as a subculture or example of a resistance group to the mainstream Irish lifestyles. Later, in subsequent research, I hope to be able to extend this insight in comparative and historical perspective.
Conference Presentations:
‘The Naked Truth about Irish Naturism: The Preliminary Findings’. Paper presented at the conference ‘Norbert Elias and Figurational Sociology: Prospects for the Future’, Copenhagen, Denmark. April, 2012.