Table of Contents

List of Entries Preface Acknowledgements Introduction The Encyclopedia Appendix: Opposing Viewpoints Question 1: Psychology with a Scalpel: Does Cosmetic Surgery Boost Self-Esteem? Response 1: Psychology with a Scalpel: Yes, Cosmetic Surgery Boosts Self-Esteem Response 2: Cosmetic Surgery: Boon or Bane? Question 2: Is Beauty a Biological Imperative or a Cultural Preference? Response 1: What Could You Expect from a Nation that Has Won a Total of 22 International Beauty Pageants? Response 2: On the Irrelevance of Genetics Question 3: The Rise of the Transgendered Beauty Pageant: Is Biology a Fixed Category? Response 1: Transgender Beauty Pageants: An Imperfect Solution Response 2: Transgender Pageants: An Occasion for Celebration Question 4: If Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, Why Is It So Important? Response 1: Beauty and the Law Response 2: Language Is Skin Deep—A Glance at Metaphorical Beauty Question 5: How is Men's Beauty Increasingly Commodified? Response 1: Men's Beauty Response 2: Subtle Play by Mr. Gray Selected Bibliography About the Authors and Contributors Index

Promotional Information

Taking the concept of beauty seriously, this encyclopedia examines how humanity has sought and continues to seek what is "beautiful" in a variety of cultural contexts, giving readers an understanding of how to look at beauty both intellectually and critically.

About the Author

Erin Kenny, PhD, is associate professor of anthropology at Drury University in Springfield, MO, where she directs the Women and Gender Studies program. Elizabeth Gackstetter Nichols, PhD, is professor of Spanish at Drury University in Springfield, MO.

Reviews

This is an excellent background source for undergraduates and general readers seeking a sociological examination of themes related to the definition and pursuit of beauty.
*Library Journal*

Anthropologist Kenny and Spanish professor Nichols bring a welcome cross-cultural perspective to the topic of beauty—often treated overwhelmingly from a Western perspective. . . . Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.
*Choice*