Review of: Mineke Bosch, Ulrike Krampl, Hanna Hacker (Hg.): Spektakel. Köln u.a.: Böhlau Verlag 2012.

Abstract

The edition of L’Homme, edited by Bosch, Hacker, and Krampl, is dedicated to exhibition as a consciously chosen act of exploring and crossing boundaries as well as to the associated reproduction of gender roles. Using various biographies, the authors illustrate different possibilities for and approaches to giving the own life a spectacular facet and consequently offering potentials for empowerment and self-expression. Unfortunately, the texts lack a solid theoretical foundation as well as clear definitions of the terminology, which would have been helpful for understanding the category of the ‘spectacle.’ Thus, the volume fails to coherently integrate the individual articles into its overall context.