The Coercive Power of the Law: Vulnerable Bodies and Boundaries of Perception

Valentine, Riley Clare; McNeill, Zane

This book offers a critical exploration of the interplay between law, care ethics, and the body, emphasizing how legal systems both reflect societal values and regulate and  discipline bodies and sexualities that deviate from normative standards, branding them as deviant or pathological. The authors contend that visibility—often celebrated as empowering—frequently serves as a mechanism of state control, subjecting marginalized bodies to cycles of hyper-visibility and erasure. Grounded in critical disability studies, queer theory, and Foucault’s theories of power, the book challenges liberalism’s focus on rights and autonomy, advocating instead for a framework centered on care ethics.

Details

Published by: Palgrave Macmillan

Publication Date: 2025-10-24

Format: Hardcover

ISBN-13: 9783032075888

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-07589-5

Dimensions: 210cm x148cm

Pages: 166