Female Agency Through Bodily Autonomy: Resistance to Patriarchal Institutional Control in Level 16
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i2.12782Keywords:
female agency, bodily autonomy, patriarchal institutional control, feminist dystopiaAbstract
This study examines how female agency is manifested through bodily autonomy in Level 16 (2018) and how it enables resistance to patriarchal institutional control. Although previous studies have examined patriarchal oppression, institutional discipline, and female resistance in dystopian narratives, less attention has been given to bodily autonomy as a manifestation of female agency within institutional constraints. This study employed a descriptive qualitative approach to analyze five purposively selected scenes, focusing on dialogue, character interactions, and visual representations. The analysis was guided by Ahearn’s (2001) theory of agency, supported by Foucault’s (1977) concept of disciplinary power and Mead’s (1934) concept of the self. The findings identify five manifestations of bodily autonomy: refusing institutional medication, rejecting medical intervention, reversing institutional control, rejecting institutional ownership of the female body, and reclaiming bodily autonomy through self-scarring. In the context of the film, these findings illustrate how Vivien’s actions challenge institutional authority and the commodification of women’s bodies. This study contributes to feminist film studies by interpreting bodily autonomy as a process through which female agency is exercised under patriarchal institutional constraints in Level 16 (2018).
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