This special issue of AmLit, titled Body Politics in North American Literary Fictions, offers a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between the human body and politics in a diverse range of North American literary works. By exploring the nuanced portrayals of the body within these narratives, this essay collection provides profound insights into the body as a contested site where power dynamics, social constructions, and acts of resistance intersect. In North American literary fictions, the body becomes a charged terrain embodying, negotiating, and challenging political ideologies. It serves as a canvas reflecting social and cultural contexts, where different forms of power are inscribed and contested. These narratives encourage readers to critically engage with the politicization of bodies and their reciprocal influence on the prevailing political landscapes. As this collection demonstrates, the body assumes symbolic significance in North American literature, often functioning as a metaphor for larger sociopolitical issues. Characters’ bodies are imbued with meaning beyond their physicality, becoming vehicles through which authors explore and critique social hierarchies, systemic oppression, and cultural prejudices. Consequently, the body represents a powerful tool for authors to navigate and challenge prevailing power structures, offering readers a lens to examine the intricate interplay between corporeality and politics.