The Quest for a Perspective for Rethinking a Politics of the “Body”

From Fieldwork of a Measure of Health Promotion for Aged Persons in Ibaraki

Abstract

For Michel Foucault, the “body” was discovered an indispensable thing as an object of power in modern times. And, it was found that physical education and sports took one end of discipline which Foucault pointed out by some scholars. In addition, “bio-power” which Foucault pointed out was the thing which let us expect welfare-state which appeared after World War II without remaining all the more. After having stood on these theoretical backgrounds, this study tries to describe the politics of “body” that put the today's development of welfare/health policy and of public welfare administration in a field of vision.
In addition to theoretical deliberation, this study tries to describe people who participate in “club-T” which has fitness program, which is a measure of health promotion for “elderly people” in Ibaraki. Through the fieldwork, I found that people who participate in “club-T” not only practice fitness but also enjoy having tea time. And, they want to reveal themselves in front of others though they age. However, their joy that did it this way has a relation of the front and back with the act, they say “getting behind”. Finally I found that these bring about strength of their ties and homogeneity. And it has ambiguity that may become unsociable.
As a result, for rethinking politics of “body”, I show necessity to regard the actuality, through Foucault's “bio-power”, from practice of people, political and economic trend, and history including both sides.