ABSTRACT
Focuses on the benefits of the theoretical model put forth in the book, and it considers how the social conditions specified within it are critical to an understanding of eating disorders. It begins with a review of the benefits of the theoretical framework which draws upon a multi-dimensional approach—looking at the roles of culture, family, and individual in the development of eating disorders—yet strongly emphasizes family and family discourse on weight. This is followed by a discussion of the sociological advantage of examining eating disorders as a social response to social conditions. This chapter articulates the ways in which the model expands our understanding of anorexia as a social response to social conditions, as grounded in the data from a sample of anorexics (and bulimics). The conclusion gives a brief overview of the findings of this research, its contribution to our current understanding of anorexia nervosa (and bulimia nervosa), and explorations into what directions future research, using this model, might take, with a particular emphasis on addressing issues of race, class, sexuality, and gender.
