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The social function of narratives, particularly in their view of the self & the individual's relationship to society, is discussed, focusing on the way that they help integrate bodies, identities, & societies via an "iconic social representation of moral action." A metaphor of narrative is advanced as a way of understanding bodies & selves & how they are shaped by social & historical processes. Focusing on the Western world, the evolution of the early Protestant body/self as it emerged from the Catholicism of the Middle Ages & was transmogrified into modern individualism is traced. Then, the emergence of the postmodern body/self is described, highlighting the centrality of the mass media in its formation & socialization. The postmodern "aestheticization" of production & consumption & the relationship between aesthetics, the body/self, & economics under global capitalism are examined. Postmodern, poststructuralist, & narrative perspectives on the body/self are compared, & the political & moral challenges of self-narration in a commodified culture are considered. 128 References. K. Hyatt Stewart

The question whether the undocumented migrant can have a face in film is at first glance not a question of aesthetics. It is their social and legal condition, not aesthetics, which prevent undocumented migrants from showing their face. But the question becomes more complex if we take into account, that films are a part of the migration regime. It works like a vicious circle: The migration regime forces undocumented migrants to conceal their face. But the image of a face not only helps to identify and trace a specific person, it also helps the spectator to identify with the person's needs and feelings, to recognize a person's condition as a human being. Therefore to protect the migrant's identity at the same time can easily produce a de-humanizing discriminatory effect on the migrant that strengthens the hostile perception of and policies against undocumented migrants. From this point of view, the aesthetic question how a film shows or does not show the faces of undocumented migrants is a highly political issue and the filmmakers' ethical responsibility.
In the article we identify different strategies of visual representation of undocumented migrants in (independent) documentary films that go beyond the black-barred face that makes them appear as criminals. We consider these alternative aesthetic strategies an important contribution to antiracist and pro-immigrant struggles. Nevertheless, the line between policing and criminalizing modes of representation and more empowering and appreciating ways can be a thin one.