Introduction

In this chapter I introduce the epistemological and theoretical underpinnings of the book and define key concepts, such as critical intersectionality theory, critical discursive psychology, and the medical gaze. Through a range of examples of medical coercion and violence, I conduct an analysis of the concept of ‘the body’ in medical discourse with a focus on the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. The chapter concludes with an overview of the book, as well as a reflection on my own positioning in relation to the topic under analysis.