Unikanie, uległość, troska... woń ciała w społeczno-kulturowym konstruowaniu Obcego
Avoidance, submission, concern... The body’s smell in the social and cultural construction of the Stranger

Summary/Abstract: The significance of olfaction in social communication and perceptional alignment of people has not been fully recognized in humanities but interest in this issue has been nascent in recent years. And that also in cross-cultural research. The matter is analyzed in the article from an evolutionary, historical and neurobiological perspective. The purpose is to show that perception of the human body’s smell can most effectively shape people’s attitudes to others. The author attempts to identify biological mechanisms potentially determining the effectiveness of odor as a cultural tool defining social boundaries and identifying individuals as “one of us”, “someone”, or “a stranger.”

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