Conference Program
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F.04. In Praise of the Margin. The Representation of “Other Bodies” Between Disabling Devices and Practices of Self-Determination Location: Scienze Politiche (CU002): Aula TO1 Convenor(s): Martina De Castro (Roma Tre University); Alessandra Maria Straniero (University of Calabria); Leonardo (1,3) Tantari; Fabio Bocci (Roma Tre University) | |
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Disabled Bodies in Cinematic Representations: A Critical Cbservatory to Shed Light on Our Own Views Università Roma Tre Since the dawn of cinema, cinematic representations have played a crucial role in shaping individual and collective identities and the corresponding social imaginaries. From this perspective, film images cannot be considered neutral (Hall & Du Gay, 1996), nor can the cinematic apparatus itself (Guattari, 2017). The imagery produced by cinema has, in fact, contributed since its inception to the staging of disability, participating in its definition and construction as a cultural object (Longmore, 1985; Norden, 1994; Bocci, 2005; 2012; 2014; 2025; Bocci & Domenici, 2013; Bocci & Straniero, 2020; Bocci, Straniero & Tantari, 2024; Schianchi, 2023). An analysis of the ways in which cinema portrays disability and diversity on screen allows for a deeper understanding of the socio-psycho-cultural implications of these processes, as well as the perspectives and viewpoints of those who produce and stage these portrayals. It also allows us to examine the forms and ways in which disabled bodies are portrayed, identifying the discursive rhetorics (Vadalà, 2013) that permeate the cinematic medium. Building on these theoretical premises and in line with previous studies (Bocci & Bonavolontà, 2020; Bocci & Tantari, in press), this paper presents the initial findings of a qualitative-quantitative study conducted as part of a broader doctoral project. The study aims to establish a critical observatory on the representation of disability and diversity on screen, through the analysis of the knowledge and perceptions expressed by a group of subjects selected as a convenience sample. In this context, cinematic representations of disability and diversity serve as analytical tools (Lapassade, 1974; Gueli, 2018; Bocci, 2020; 2025), bringing to light the contradictions of the social system, which, through its reproductive apparatus (Illich, 2019), utilizes mainstream audiovisual media—starting with cinema but also including other media products such as television series—to reaffirm a hegemonic vision based on productive and performative standards. | |