Physicality in focus: Lecture on 'Embodiment' at LMU Munich!

Physicality in focus: Lecture on 'Embodiment' at LMU Munich!

On December 8, 2025, everyone interested can look forward to an exciting lecture at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich. On this day, Paula-Irene Villa Braslavsky will speak as part of the DFG research group “Polycentricity and Plurality of Pre-Modern Christianity” (POLY) on a complex of topics that is of great importance to many of us: the concept of “embodiment”. According to the official event page of aktuelles.uni-frankfurt.de, the lecture will offer a critical examination of the various dimensions of the term.

A central aim of Villa Braslavsky's talk is to unravel the complex aspects of embodiment, both in academic analysis and in everyday practices. She will draw on different theoretical approaches, including phenomenology, practice theories, and feminist and contemporary perspectives. While she argues that the idea of ​​'embodiment' cannot be fully captured in writing, she also shows how one can find productive ways to honor 'lifeworld corporeality' in academic writing.

The speaker and her research horizon

Paula-Irene Villa Braslavsky is not only a professor of general sociology and gender studies, but also a sought-after personality in the research community. Her research interests include gender studies, bio- and body politics as well as cultural sociology and the sociology of nursing and care work. Her expertise should not be underestimated as she has received multiple awards for her valuable contributions. She has also been chairwoman of the German Society for Sociology since 2021 and has chaired the scientific advisory board of the NS Documentation Center in Munich since May 2023.

Registration is required to attend this lecture on site. Those interested can contact by email anmelde@forschungskolleg-humanwissen.de Contact us to reserve a place. For those who cannot be on site, online participation via Zoom is offered, for which a corresponding link will be provided.

The context of “embodiment”

The concept of 'embodiment' has its origins in anthropological analysis and addresses how experiences are expressed and localized through the body. As early as the late 1970s, scientists such as Margaret Lock began to emphasize the need to view the physical body not just as a static object, but to understand it as a dynamic subject. This is a fundamental departure from dualistic interpretations such as mind-body dualism, which has long characterized thinking in social science. Important theorists such as Thomas Csordas and Maurice Merleau-Ponty have significantly influenced this development, with Merleau-Ponty particularly focusing on human perception and experience, while Bourdieu's practice theory placed the habitus in the foreground. These theoretical currents are part of a lively and constantly evolving discussion about the interconnections of the body, society, culture and gender.

In recent years, the interdisciplinary approach of 'embodiment' has received increasing attention in research. The theoretical background, which draws on phenomenology, practice theory and feminist theory, makes it possible to bring together various discursive fields. In addition to the discussion about gender and sexuality, topics such as colonialism, race and transnationality also flow into the debates. These current developments clearly show that the theory of 'embodiment' is a dynamic framework that continually opens up new perspectives and encourages people to think about their own bodily experience, as Wikipedia explains.

So, dear readers, if you are interested in these topics and are in Munich, don't miss this unique lecture, which will certainly stimulate a lot of food for thought and discussion!