Content area
Abstract
This thesis examines historical and theoretical representations of bodily modifications while investigating the intricate relationship between the body and mind, technology, and freedom. This study contends that the body is not a passive object but rather an active site of resistance and transformation. The research specifically focuses on three key areas of inquiry: skin surveillance technologies (SSTs) utilized in the past to control and mark the body, present and future forms of skin surveillance such as biohacking, and the depiction of bodily modifications in science fiction that adhere to Cartesian Dualism. By critically examining the relationship between the body and mind and the notion of free skin through historical and theoretical contexts, this thesis contributes to the discourse on bodily autonomy and advocates for a reevaluation of societal conceptualizations and treatments of the body. Ultimately, this thesis aims to shed light on the complex relationship between corporeal agency and individual freedom, demonstrating that a holistic understanding of the body-mind complex is essential to achieving free skin and avoiding perpetuating systems of oppression and domination.
