Body, School and Identity

Abstract

In a dualistic tradition, Nature and Culture are
seen as separated, and the body is seen as situated on the side of Nature, and outside of
Culture. In this paper, largue against this dichotomy. Having gender and sexuality as a
focus, I analyze both theories based on biological determinism and social constructivism,
paying special attention to plurivocal meanings of the expression "social constructivism".
largue that sexuality, as it happens with gender, race or c1ass, must be understood within
the context of Culture, which means that whereas some identities are privileged and are
seen as legitimate and authorize, others are represented as deviant and iIIegitimate. With
support of ethnographic data, it is shown how "normal" and "marked" identities are
produced. Finally, I examine how the multiplicity of young groups and "tribos" challenge
traditional analyses based on the usual dichotomies and polarizations.