Introducing Foucault

177 Pages·2004·26.559 MB·English

by  Chris Horrocks, Zoran Jevtic

INTRODUCING
Foucault
Chris Horrocks • Zoran Jevtic
EditedbyRichardAppignanesi

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Icon Books UK Totem Books USA
ThiseditionpublishedintheUK Reprinted 2000, 2002, 2006
in2004byIconBooksLtd.,
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Thriplow,Cambridge SG87RG in2005 byTotemBooks
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This edition published inAustralia Toronto,Ontario M4P2YE
in2004 byAllen &Unwin Pty.Ltd.,
POBox8500, 83AlexanderStreet, ISBN-10: 1-84046-591-3
Crows Nest, NSW2065 ISBN-13: 978-1840465-91-4
Previously published inthe UK
andAustralia in1997underthe
title FoucaultforBeginners
andin1999as IntroducingFoucault

Textcopyright© 1997Chris Horrocks
Illustrations copyright© 1997Zoran Jevtic
The author and artist have asserted their moral rights.
Originatingeditor: RichardAppignanesi
Nopartofthis bookmay bereproduced inany form, orbyany means,
without prior permission inwriting from the publisher.
Printed and bound inSingapore
byTienWah Press
I, Michel Foucault...
Tofind the real Michel Foucaultisto ask ''which one"?
Shouldwe lookatthe lifeof the man himself, who as aboy wantedto be a
goldfish, butbecameaphilosopherand historian, politicalactivist, leather
queen,bestseller,tirelesscampaignerfordissidentcauses?

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Foucault the Author?
,OrshouldweseeMichelFoucaultastheauthor, whoseworkcombines
brilnantinsightandeccentricdetail,unitingcontemporaryphilosophical
practicewiththearchaeologyofthemanydocumentshepatientlyretrieved
fromhistory?Andwhatshouldweexclude,giventhehugeshltts in
theoreticalpositionoverhiscareer?
I
Foucaulthimselfproblematizedt~e
meaningofauthorship- a ',
function,heclaimed,which
resolvedorhidmany
contradictions.
Wemustdispense
with our habit of looking
for an author's authority, and
show instead how the power of
discourse constrains both
author and his
utterances.
,:i: SoFoucaultwasreluctant
,towritehisownbiography:;/,:"
orhavesomeonedoitfoc:::::=:'
him.Butmanyhave, ""
",<"
slncehisdeath.
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A Transdiscursive Man
Foucaultgaveusthetermtransdiscursive,whichdescribeshow,for
example,Foucaultisnotsimplyanauthorofabook,buttheauthorofa
theory,traditionordiscipline.
Wecanatleastsaythathewas
theinstigatorofamethodof
historicalinquirywhichhashad
majoreffectsonthestudyof
subjeq~ivity,power,knowledge,
discourse,history, sexuality,
madness,thepenalsystem
andmuchelse.Hencethe
term,""Foucaldian".
Therearemany
"Foucaults"- whetherthey
arealltexts,orfeaturesin
anetworkofinstitutional
power,aregimeoftruth
andkno wledge,orthe
discourseoftheauthor
andhisworks.Let's
explorethemanylayers
ofFoucault.
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Foucault's Project
Foucaultsoughttoaccountforthe But Foucaultdoesnottake the
way inwhich human beingshave idea of subjectivityin
historicallybecomethesUbject philosophicalisolation.It
and objectof political, scientific, becomeslinked with- and even
economic,philosophical,legaland producedbyknowledge and
social discoursesand practices. powerthrough- dividing
practiceswhere,forexample,
psychiatrydividesthe mad from
thesane.
Scientificclassification:where
scienceclassifiesthe individual
asthe subjectof life (biology),
labour(economics) andlanguage
(linguistics).
SUbjectification:thewaythe
individualturnshimselfinto a
..
subjectof health, sexuality,
~~~~~~*~: ~
conduct, etc.
Foucault Fiction·
"In my books Ido like to makefictional use ofthe materials Iassembleor
puttogether, and Ideliberatelymake fictionalconstructionswith authentic
elements:'
Let's''fictionalize''Foucault'slifebyturning itinto abiographical accountof
Foucaultand his oeuvreorwork.
Hewas born Paul-MichelFoucault, on 15
October1926,toAnne Malapertand
wealthysurgeonPaulFoucault, in
conservativePoltiersinFrance.Paul
Michel Foucaulthad asister
Francineandayounger
brother,Denys.

Foucaulthad
brown hair,a
bignose and
blueeyes.
Foucaultdidn't
likethe namePaul
Michel, because
nastychildren madeitsoundlike Polichinello(Punch)!
Hechangeditto Michel-perhapsexpressing lovefor his Mum, who'd
insistedon the nameat his birth.
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Camp Catholics and Choirboys
FoucaultwasoftheCatholicfaith. HemovedintotheLyceeproper
Later, hesaidheenjoyeditscamp in1932andremainedthereuntil
ritual.Hewasevenachoirboyfor 1936- theyearhesawrefugees
awhile. arrivingfromtheSpanishCivil
War.
1930.Paul-Michelwasenrolled
earlyinelementaryclassatthe Hewasanenthusiasticcyclist
LyceeHenri-IV. andtennisplayer, buthewas
short-sighted,andoftenmissed
theball.Heenjoyedtripstothe
theatre,andoccasionallythe
cinema.
Hewasayoungand
disciplinedstudent.
KnoWledgemeant
socialpromotion
for hisclass.

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17June1940: Prime
MinisterPetain requests
armistice.Germansuse
the Foucaults'holiday
home asofficers'billet.
Foucaultstealsfirewood
for schoolfrom

collaborationistmilitia.
Foucaultdoeswell at
school, but messes uphis
summerexamsin1940.
Hetransferstothe religiousCollegeSaint-Stanislasand gainsprizesin
French, history,Greekand English.
1942: Beginsformal studyinphilosophy.
June1943:Passeshis becceleureet.Argueswith hisfatherabouthiscareer.
Medicine?MichelFoucaultthoughtnot- hewantedto gotothe prestigious
academichothouse,theENS (EcoleNormaleSuperieure)inParis.
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