Global Corpse Politics: The Obscenity Taboo

Taboos play a significant role in global politics, and Auchter's book explores how obscenity functions as a regulatory norm by examining dead body images. It offers a theoretical explanation of the process by which the taboo surrounding dead body images is transgressed and upheld, including trigger warnings and media framings. The book challenges the notion that the key debate in visual politics related to the dead body image is whether to display or not to display and instead narrates various degrees of visibility, invisibility, and hyper-visibility.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 27 July 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Taboos have long held a prominent position as essential exemplars of norms in the realm of global politics, exerting significant strategic implications. In his work, Auchter delves into the role of obscenity as a regulatory norm, specifically focusing on the portrayal of dead body images. The significance of obscenity lies in its inconsistent application across various cases. By examining empirical examples such as ISIS beheadings, the demise of Muammar Qaddafi, Syrian torture victims, and the fabricated death images of Osama bin Laden, this book provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding how the taboo surrounding dead body images is transgressed and upheld. Through mechanisms such as trigger warnings and media framings, Auchter unravels the intricate processes that facilitate the violation and reinforcement of these taboos.

This exploration of corpse politics sheds light on political communities and the structures that sustain them, including the taboos that govern purported obscene images. Auchter challenges the prevailing notion that the central debate in visual politics concerning the dead body image revolves around whether to display or not to display. Instead, he presents a narrative that encompasses diverse degrees of visibility, invisibility, and hyper-visibility. By examining these varying levels of exposure, Auchter offers a nuanced understanding of the complex dynamics at play in the visual representation of the dead body.

Through his meticulous analysis, Auchter provides valuable insights into the power dynamics and cultural norms that shape our perception and interpretation of the dead body. This book is a must-read for scholars, researchers, and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of politics, media, and the human body. It offers a thought-provoking examination of the taboo surrounding dead body images and its profound implications for our understanding of global politics and society.

ISBN-13: 9781009054386