Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Titles appearing in SciTech Book News — June 2009
The new boundaries between bodies and technologies.
Ed. by Bianca Maria Pirani and Ivan Varga.
Cambridge Scholars Publishing, ©2008 294 p. $59.99 T14
978-1-84718-499-3
Pirani (sociology, University of Roma) and Varga (sociology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario) look at the interpenetration of human bodies and technology. The essays they have selected pose intriguing questions. Some look at changes in the movements of the body, both from one place to another and in traditional dance and rituals. Several others address the virtual bodies we present or assume on the Internet. Even the integration of technology within the body through nanites is discussed. The topics are interesting and pertinent to an understanding of changing world culture. The only drawback is the lack of careful copyediting, but the publisher is planning a new version to correct this. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
