Life Writing, Embodiment, and Becoming: The Body as Pedagogy

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: SIG-Biographical and Documentary Research Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

In this panel, four life-writers draw from research, embodied reflection, and narratives to explore the educative power of centering embodiment’s role in educational becoming. Educational life writing and biography too often suffer from a pattern of disembodied narration, as scholars study people’s experiences and lives as if separate from their fleshy bodies that stand in front of lecterns, wrangle children, grade papers, ruminate on national policy changes, or sweat, laugh, bleed, and ache from daily educational encounters. Our papers explore forest bathing, the body politics of women’s facial hair, inherited family lessons about cooking, and embodied mentoring toward flourishing in higher education. Collectively, they foreground the significance of the pedagogies of the body in educational becoming and life-writing.

Authors

• Amanda Kingston, Syracuse University

• Stacie L. Warner, Oklahoma State University

• Lindsey Abernathy, Oklahoma State University

• Lucy E. Bailey, Oklahoma State University