Tattooed Bodies: Narratives and Experiences in Anthropological Fieldwork

• Autor: Gárate Vasquez, Ariana
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2025
• Institución: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
• Repositorio: Revistas - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/32125
• Enlace del recurso: http://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/anthropia/article/view/32125
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Corporalidad; Tatuajes; Narrativas y experiencias; Autoetnografía; Corporality; Tattoos; Narratives and experiences; Autoethnography

Physical appearance plays a crucial role in how others perceive us, especially when we “deviate” from conventional social norms. Throughout history, tattoos have been stigmatized as associated with crime, rebellion, and unprofessionalism. However, with the rise of tattoos in recent decades, they have begun to be interpreted in more complex ways, reflecting identity, memory, and personal expression. In this context, the historical discussion of tattoos and their meanings in non-Westernized societies has gained momentum. Despite this change, tattooed people continue to face prejudices that impact their social relationships, including those in professional and academic settings. In fieldwork, these narratives about tattooed bodies can significantly influence interactions between researchers and informants, affecting both the researcher’s reception and their own reflective positioning. This article aims to explore, from an autoethnographic methodology, how narratives and meanings are constructed around the tattooed bodies of social researchers during fieldwork, addressing the tensions that emerge between tattooed bodies and social expectations in research contexts.