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by Andy Miah, PhD

Wednesday, August 06, 2003

Posthuman Podiums

Butryn, T. M. (2003). "Posthuman Podiums: Cyborg Narratives of Elite Track and Field Athletes." Sociology of Sport Journal 20: 17-39.

Butryn's empirical work on technological narratives is unique. He spends time investigating how athletes articulate their relationship to technology and, while in many instances, they speak about technology as being seamless from the natural sporting body, when it comes to 'body' modification, the distinctions are much clearer. Using performance enhnacements are described by these athletes as contrary to the personal integrity of their performances, though one might beg the question as to whether these views would persist, if it were not for the moral rhetoric that surrounds them.