On the Geographies of Hair: Exploring the Entangled Margins of the Bordered Body

The document by Mark Holton examines hair as a significant element in shaping the geographies of the body, arguing that hair is an influential agent that can affect the body's borders. It critiques historical essentialist and colonial views of hair, emphasizing the need to recognize its heterogeneity and its role in social and cultural identity presentation. The paper discusses hair's materiality, its role in gender and race, and the implications of hair's presence and absence, including hair cutting, hair loss, and hair removal. It also addresses the cultural and political significance of black hair, the social constructs surrounding hair, and the stigmatization of female body hair. The document highlights the emotional impact of hair loss on self-esteem and body image, referencing studies on coping mechanisms and the effects of cancer-related hair loss. It concludes by suggesting that hair acts as a borderland space, influencing the social and relational production of bodily practices, and calls for further research into hair's role in shaping identity across various intersections such as sexuality, disability, age, faith, and ethnicity.