title: Tackling indifference--clowning, dementia, and the articulation of a sensitive body.
abstract: In this auto-ethnographic study, I focus on a special form of clowning for people at an advanced stage of dementia. The miMakkus clown is presented as a specialist in contact with people with whom communication is no longer possible by the usual (linguistic, cognitive) means. I illustrate how the miMakkus clown tries to reach people with dementia, focusing specifically on the role of the sensitive body as an instrument for attunement. As I demonstrate, in their contact, the clown and the person with dementia are involved in a process of mutual articulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. hendriks@maastrichtuniversity.nl
authors.forename: Ruud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hendriks
mesh_terms: D060432:Anthropology, Medical; D003142:Communication; D003704:Dementia / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D027641:Laughter Therapy; D014925:Wit and Humor as Topic