Chiara Piazzesi is Full Professor of Sociology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Born in Florence, Italy, she received her education at the prestigious Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa and at the Università del Salento, where she earned her PhD. Among her publications are the books: Grammatiche dell'amore [Love Grammars] (2019) and Vers une sociologie de l'intime. Éros et socialisation [Towards a Sociology of the Intimate] (2017). Her research interests span love relationships, feminist issues, gender relations, digital practices, and the place of beauty in women's lives. She has taught and done research in France, Germany, and Brazil.
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Walking the Tightrope
Chapter One: The Paradoxes of Beauty
The Worth Paradox
The Authenticity Paradox
The Power Paradox
The Commitment Paradox
What Is a Pragmatic Paradox?
Conclusion: Negotiating the Paradoxes of Beauty
Chapter Two: Beauty, Wellness, and Authenticity
Where Is Beauty Situated?
Traditional Discourses on Beauty, Health, and Morals
The Paradoxes of Wellness and Self-Care
Natural Beauty and the Authenticity Paradox
Where Does "Feeling Beautiful" Really Come From?
Conclusion: Normative Authenticity
Chapter Three: Commitment and Investment
Investing Money and Time
The Salience of Hair and Makeup
Committing to Thinking, Planning, and Judging
The Day as a Measure of Beauty
Conclusion: How Much Is Enough?
Chapter Four: Time, Aging, and Motherhood
Being Young
Being No Longer Young
Motherhood
The Intergenerational Gaze
Conclusion: The Temporality of Beauty
Chapter Five: Work and Social Life
Beauty and Sociability
Working with Beauty
Favours a
