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Paper short abstract

This paper questions the adequacy of Turner’s concept of liminality for chronic illnesses like eating disorders, where treatment and self-management resemble prolonged transformation. Drawing on Rebecca Lester, Karin Eli, and my own research, it explores how liminality is redefined in this context.

Paper long abstract

In this paper, I will question the adequacy of Victor Turner’s classical concept of “liminality” in the context of long-term, chronic processes of illness and treatment. Liminality, understood as a temporary transitional phase leading to reintegration, proves inadequate for understanding eating disorders, which are often chronic and recurrent. The processes of treatment and ongoing self-management resemble a prolonged transformation rather than a discrete rite of passage. I will examine the approaches of scholars such as Rebecca J. Lester and Karin Eli, who demonstrate how the classical notion of liminality is complicated and redefined in studies of eating disorders. This analysis allows for a deeper understanding of the complexity of chronic illness from an anthropological perspective. I will also draw on my own reflections related to research design in my doctoral studies, focusing on the experiences of individuals with eating disorders.