(Self-) surveillance and (self-) regulation: living by fat numbers within and beyond a sporting culture

Abstract

This paper utilises Foucault's theory of disciplinary power and concepts of surveillance, regulation and technologies of the self. The concepts are used to explore practices that we associate with the notion of swimmers ‘living by fat numbers' during their competitive swimming careers as adolescents and post-career as adult women. Extracts from narrative accounts generated via in-depth interviews are presented and analysed utilising some Foucauldian concepts relating to power and surveillance. The paper illustrates the ways in which fat, weight and food numbers are a focus of surveillance and regulation by others and by swimmers themselves. Particular thinking and practices relating to the body, weight, food and performance are shown to become embedded, accepted and normalised within a sporting culture and be sustained beyond it some 10–30 years on. The paper raises issues for those within and beyond sporting cultures to engage with; relating to the enduring long-term impact of the normalisation of body practices amidst discourses of performance and perfection in sport.

Keywords:

• body
• sport
• surveillance
• narrative
• autoethnography

Notes

1. The names used here are pseudonyms.

2. Here and at other places in the paper, first person is used to fore ground the voice of the participants, including one author.

3. Pseudonym used for a fellow swimmer.

4. Pseudonym for Carly’s surname.

5. ‘Slim to win’ ideology is adopted by team managers, coaches, swimmers and family members which incorporates practices, conversations, surveillance and pedagogy based on the idea that a swimmer’s body needs to be lean to achieve performance even though scientific research does not support the notion. It may involve excessive exercising between swimming sessions (i.e. running), low caloric intake, disordered eating and monitoring of bodies. As such, swimmers are constantly striving to achieve ‘slim to win’ where the ‘ideal’ lean swimmer body will bring success. The effects of this have found to be detrimental (McMahon et al. 2011).