The Lived Body

Abstract

Through conducting a phenomenology of phenomenology — -reflection on and association to the lived experience of conducting a phenomenological study in which fifteen older women engaged in reflection on their experience of their body/‘self’(s) throughout the lifecourse from the perspective of food and eating — the lived body emerged as the essential dimension of the researcher—participant relationship. Further reflection, from the disciplinary perspective of social work, led to the emergence of the lived body as the essential dimension in social work practice. Beginning by identifying the key components of this conceptualization: the lived body and the relationship, this article considers the lived body from three perspectives: feminist theory, social work and phenomenology, and describes the role of the relationship in phenomenological human science research and in social work practice. It parallels phenomenological research and social work practice as relationship-based ways of knowing. From this position, the lived body is the essential dimension in the researcher—participant and social worker—client relationships. Narrative excerpts from this study are used to embody the theoretical presentation.