ABSTRACT
Goffman’s classic “Territories of the Self” is, among other things, an investigation into literal and metaphorical territories that represent defendable personal boundaries. Reminiscent of Spencer Cahill’s observations (see Chapter Five, this volume), territories of the self are physical and symbolic cultural constructions that are of no small significance: trespassing in these territories risks dignity. Drawing from their studies of people with disabilities, specifically multiple sclerosis (MS), Carol Brooks Gardner and William P. Gronfein, examine how fragile and unpredictable bodies are “armoured” in public space to better defend and manage trespass. Gardner and Gronfein utilize Goffman’s original typology and also add useful new ones – all of which illustrate the micropolitics of everyday life as seen through the lens of people who manage a highly variable MS body.
