Lecture notes
Class notes Communication Theory and Analysis Foucault.
- Institution
- The University Of Aberdeen (Aberd)
Notes on Foucault from a masters level course.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
Foucault, M. (1926-84)Foucault’s Work
➔ Foucault sought to conduct a “genealogy of the modern subject as a historical and cultural
reality.”
➔ His first major work was on madness - examines the historical conditions of the confinement and
exclusion of different groups of people
➔ Shifted his focus to discourse of various disciplines regarding society, individuals and language
➔ He identifies the epistemic systems (or relations between the sciences) that underlie three major
epochs in Western thought: the Renaissance, the Classical Age, and Modernity.
➔ Modernity is characterised as the Age of Man, in which “man” is the subject and object of his
own knowledge.
➔ In the 1970’s, Foucault's interests shifted from discourse to the problem of power.
➔ Foucault explores the relations between power, knowledge and the body in modern society.
➔ Foucault extended his analysis of power relations to the area of sexuality in The History of
Sexuality. - His argument is that during the 18th and 19th centuries, sexuality became an object of
power
➔ Foucault argues that power is not restricted to political institutions, rather it is multidirectional,
operating from above and below.
History of Sexuality, Truth and Power and Discipline & Punishment
‘The Sword’
➔ Sovereign Power - power exercised mainly as a means of deduction
➔ ‘Power in this form was essentially a right of seizure: of things, of time, bodies and ultimately
life’
➔ This shifted after the French revolution
Into Bio (Biological)-Power
➔ ‘The old power of death that symbolised sovereign power was now carefully supplanted by the
administration of bodies and calculated management of life’
➔ [...] sex becomes a crucial target of a power organised around the management of life rather than
the menace of death.’
Truth and Power
➔ ‘If power were anything but repressive, if it never did anything but to say no, do you really think
one would be brought to obey it?’
➔ ‘What makes power hold good, what makes it accepted is simply the fact that it doesn't only
weigh on us as a force that says no, but it traverses and produces things, it induces pleasure, forms
knowledge, produces discourse.’
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller rebeccawilson2. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
66579 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now