The Unbound Brain

The brain has long been an object of curiosity and fascination. Partly as a result of technological advances, issues related to the brain have become ubiquitous points of discussion in our culture. Along with neurological disease and neuroscience, it is frequently featured in Hollywood block buster movies, self-help books, popular science documentaries and fictional TV-series.1 Once cast as grey and stable matter, the brain is now commonly represented as a glowing and colourful entity through the use of new imaging technologies. Further, it is often likened to a complex and adaptable machine that can be enhanced continuously through dedication and deliberate effort. In this special issue of Culture Unbound, scholars from a number of disciplines within the humanities and social sciences address the pervasiveness and influence of neuroscience and representations of the brain in everyday contexts. A common thread in the articles is the idea that knowledge and narratives about, and visualisations of, the brain change practices and processes in daily life. In addition, the articles, in different ways, explore the brain as something that is perceived and portrayed as constantly transforming; an unbound brain.Special-/temanummer av tidskrift (redaktörskap)