This volume presents an exploration of the intersection between the work of michel foucault and feminist theory, focusing on foucaults theories of sexbody, identitysubject, and powerpolitics. Edited bydavid kreps forewordstephen gill the postmodern prince chapters david kreps introduction three camps. Feminism, foucault and the politics of the body1 ieasszeged. Argues that foucaults work employs a conception of subjectivity that is wellsuited for feminist theory and politics. A poststructuralist feminist reading of herbert simons construct, bounded rationality, is prevented in this article. Some feminists advocate a foucauldian feminism, while others argue that the underlying assumptions of feminism are antithetical to fou.
Reflecting on foucault, feminism and rape critique allowed. Foucauldian thought has held for contemporary feminism, it occurred to me that i. One crucial difference is in their views of communication as a mechanism of political agency, resistance, andor entrapment. Explorations of some tensions between foucault and feminism. Indeed, even scholars who dispute this thinkers claims are. Addressing central questions in the debate about foucaults usefulness for politics, including his rejection of universal norms, his conception of power and powerknowledge, his seemingly contradictory position on subjectivity and his resistance to using identity as a. This book fosters an unprecedented dialogue between foucault and the fertile ground of contemporary feminism and explores the many ways these disparate approaches to. Hartsock suggests that foucault does not offer a theory of power for women, to what extent does she provide an alternative. We thought that foucault had been something like a structuralist in the order of things and the archaeology of knowledge but had moved to an interpretive position in his later works on the prisons and on sexuality. Michel foucault hs i, 9495 we should try to grasp subjection in its material instance as the constitution of subjects. Feminist interpretations of michel foucault susan j. He constantly employs the language of association and opposition we must, ourselves.
This book fosters an unprecedented dialogue between foucault and the fertile ground of contemporary feminism and explores the many ways these disparate. Foucault, femininity, and the modernization of patriarchal power. Nostalgia and sexual difference rle feminist theory the resistance to contemporary feminism. In it he builds an argument grounded in a historical analysis of the word sexuality against the common thesis that sexuality always has been repressed in western society. First of all, remember that postmodernists in general are suspicious of any isms, any totalizing worldviews or big t truths. Aug 29, 2012 our gendered identities and genitals are saturated with social meaning foucault, 1990 1978, and foucaults theories of productive power and construction of meaning through discourse shed light on power and body politics, and offers an alternative for resistance to the social script that underlie rape. In 1977 michel foucault contemplated the idea of punishing rape only as a crime of violence, while in 1978 he argued that noncoercive sex between adults and minors should be decriminalized entirely. It provides an early account of fs thinking around the centrality of sexuality to our lives and in particular to the way in which sexuality becomes a site for the construction of knowledge and power. Aug 04, 20 the work of michel foucault and jurgen habermas has been highly influential on political and social theory because of their important insights about modern power. Use and nonuse of michel foucault s the archaeology of knowledge and the order of things in archival, library, and information science journal literature,19902015. Today, with the recent upsurge in global activism, we stand on the precipice of what promises to herald the rebirth of such a. How might they reinforce each other on a reciprocal basis.
A critical reading of foucault monique deveaux few thinkers have influenced contemporary feminist scholarship on the themes of power, sexuality, and the subject to the extent that michel foucault has. In recent writings foucault speaks of power and resistance in the following terms. It is maintained that even though bounded rationality provides a modified critique of pure rationality, this concept is grounded in malecentered assumptions that exclude alternative modes of organizing. They tend to prefer theories that are localized, specific and dont have any kind of grand narrative of progress. A discussion of nancy hartsocks critique of michel foucault. List e6 newsletter e8 the history of sexuality about foucault. Foucault insists that resistance is never in a position of exteriority. Michel foucaults understanding of power shifts between his early work on total institutions and his later work on governmentality and sexuality. Notes on transgression foucault and transgression why we study foucaults a preface to transgression. Project muse foucault, rape, and the construction of the. In this writeup i will present what i think is a convincing defense of my interpretation of the work of michel foucault against a critique provided by nancy hartsock in her essay, foucault on power. Stakes, issues, positions f eminists disagree about the usefulness of foucaults work for feminist theory and practice. Gramsci right, foucault right, or the possibility of some benefit to using both alex demirovic truth and power ngailing sum discourses of competitiveness marcus schulzke power and resistance jeanpaul gagnon education and democracy.
In this paper, i will attend to the transformation of power, as foucaults conceptualization of it changes between the earlier and later parts of his work. Pdf use and nonuse of michel foucaults the archaeology. If hartsock positions foucault as a colonizer albeight one who resists, then she appears to suggest that he is. Feminism poststructuralism and contemporary feminism have emerged as two of the most influential political and cultural movements of the late twentieth century. Works on foucault that are cited include jeffrey nealons foucault beyond foucault 2008, kai alhanens practices of thought in michel foucaults philosophy 2012 and johanna oksalas foucault, politics, and violence 2012. Biographer james miller points out that foucault was preoccupied with. The purpose of this paper is to show that the standard notion of informed choice is unacceptable and must be replaced. Like the other books in this series, this volume seeks to bring a feminist perspective to bear on the interpretation of a major figure in the philosophical canon.
Domestic abuse and the limits of communication foucault. Reflections on resistance irene diamond, lee quinby on. Toward a foucaultian epistemology of resistance 10 in order to understand the diversity and heterogeneity of forms of resistance, we need to understand the positionality and relationality of social agents in networks of power relations. The recent alliance between them has been marked by an especially lively engagement with the work of french philosopher michel foucault. Nostalgia and sexual difference rle feminist theory. Foucaults attitude in the history of sexuality is always activist. There is one particular passage in the history of sexuality volume 1, pages 9596, that elucidates foucaults conception of resistance to power. Feminism, foucault and the politics of the body 183 have significantly deepened, and rightly complicated, our understandings of both social normalisation and social resistance. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. We thought that foucault had been something like a structuralist in the order of things and the archaeology of knowledge but had moved to an interpretive position in his. By using religion to get at the core concepts of michel foucault s thinking, this book offers a strong alternative to the way that the philosophers work is read across the humanities. Power is clearly a crucial concept for feminist theory. Bartky, sandra lee, foucault, femininity, and the modernization of patriarchal power, in i. Foucault, femininity and the modernization of patriarchal power bartky, sandra lee, 1997 foucault, femininity and the modernization of patriarchal power from katie conboy, nadia medina, and sarah stanbury eds.
Foucault, femininity and the modernization of patriarchal. The key to the personal poetic attitude of a philosopher is not to be sought in his ideas, as if it could be deduced from them, but rather in his philosophyaslife, in his philosophical life, his ethos. Despite foucaults neglect of resistance in discipline and punish, in the history of sexuality he defines power as dependent on resistance. The introductory chapter, too appropriately entitled personal reflections, is a story of deep thinking. Power is mainly approached through the concepts of cost and intensity, stressing. Beyond good and evil, explores the philosopher and his complex and controversial life through interviews with colleagues and biographers and reenactments of foucaults storied exploits in the american counterculture. Most discussions of resistance are mere codicils to lengthy examinations of power. Argues that foucault s work employs a conception of subjectivity that is wellsuited for feminist theory and politics. Perhaps the most difficult problem to emerge in feminist critical theory over the last thirty years is the problem of the subject.
At every moment, step by step, one must confront what one is thinking and saying with what one is doing, with what one is. Although michel foucaults ideas on sexuality, ideology, and power have established him as one of this centurys most influential thinkers, the implications of his work for feminists continue to be the subject of heated debate. Apr 12, 2020 michel foucault where there is power, there is resistance. In 1977, michel foucault suggested that legal approaches to rape define it as merely an act of violence, not of sexuality, and therefore not distinct from other types of assaults. How might they reinforce each other on a reciprocal. Despite a copious secondary literature on foucault, there is a surprising lack of extended treatments of this topic. The ticklish subject, slavoj zizek outlines the paradoxes which he believes haunt michel foucaults treatment of the relationship between. To do so, i examine foucault s analysis of people in contemporary society. Michel foucault where there is power, there is resistance. To see what your friends thought of this quote, please sign up. Philosophical reflections on the resistance to feminism studies in social, political, and legal philosophy ann e. Foucault was famously interested in christianity as both the rival to ancient ethics and the parent of modern discipline and was always alert to the hypocrisy and the violence in churches. Foucaults theories of power, resistance, and agency provide useful tools of.
Foucault, femininity and the modernization of patriarchal power. Foucault and the disciplining of the female body by angela king1 abstract the work of michel foucault has been extremely influential amongst feminist scholars and for good reason. Reflections on resistance diamond, irene, quinby, lee on. Michel foucault tl, 97 as soon as there is a power relation, there is the possibility of resis. For the purpose of brevity, i will limit my discussion to what i take to be hartsocks three most important points. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Categories michel foucault in continental philosophy categorize this paper isbns. Insofar as feminists are interested in analyzing power, it is because they have an interest in understanding, critiquing, and ultimately challenging the multiple array of unjust power relations affecting women in contemporary western societies, including sexism, racism, heterosexism, and class oppression. Our gendered identities and genitals are saturated with social meaning foucault, 1990 1978, and foucaults theories of productive power and construction of meaning through discourse shed light on power and body politics, and offers an alternative for resistance to the social script that underlie rape. By using religion to get at the core concepts of michel foucaults thinking, this book offers a strong alternative to the way that the philosophers work is read across the humanities. Addressing central questions in the debate about foucault s usefulness for politics, including his rejection of universal norms, his conception of power and powerknowledge, his seemingly contradictory position on subjectivity and his resistance to using identity as a. Foucault, ethics, and normalized bodies studies in feminist philosophy 1st edition. Mar 14, 2002 a discussion of nancy hartsocks critique of michel foucault.
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