Embodiment in Consumer Society: The Case of Store Window Mannequins

In this paper presentation I will investigate the embodiment of ethos as part of self-development within modern consumer society. Modern consumer society has reinforced the focus on the body and invented new forms of desires that aim at the sexed and gendered body (Featherstone 198?; 2012; Bartky 1990: Bordo 2001; Howson 2005). Empirical material that points at the changes of gendered embodiedment within modernity will illustrate its significance. The aim of the paper presentation is twofold: First, I will outline a theory that explains how ethos becomes embodied as part of the self. The theory will elaborate the concept of ethos by integrating it with theories of self-development and the part embodiment plays in that process. Especially, George Herbert Mead’s theory of self-development will be considered, but also more contemporary ideas such as the notion of postsocial relations (Knorr-Cetina and Breugger 2002) is taken into account. Second, I will trace the transformation of ethos as it appears in Swedish shopping windows from the beginning of the 20^th century until today with special considerations to gender. Going beyond the obvious message of the store window’s sales argumentation, I will decode the different ethos that store window mannequins portray. My empirical material consists of over one thousand pictures of shopping window displays. The more recent material, 2000-2012, is from different shopping windows in down town areas in different cities in Sweden , whereas the historical material from 1930-1970 belong to a large collection of pictures from MEA (Militär Ekiperings Aktiebolaget)