Marks of Mischief

Abstract

Following a general discussion of body alteration practices and a presentation of the history of tattooing in Western culture, this article focuses on the process a person goes through in deciding to be tattooed and the effect of this decision on the tattooee's self-definition and social experience. The data are drawn from six years of participant observation in a variety of tattoo settings, 163 structured questionnaires, and 16 lengthy, semistructured interviews with tattooed people. The importance of the tattoo as both a “mark of disaffiliation” from conventional society and a symbolic affirmation of personal identity and association is emphasized.