Michel Foucault is without doubt one of the most influential thinkers in the 20th century whose writings have been read and reread to further political analyses. But do they amount to a political philosophy? Foucault’s interpretation of the relationship between politics and philosophy is controversial: because there are many rivaling readings of what he offers, but, more important, because his account of this relationship puts him in opposition to most of what is considered political philosophy today.
The seminar concentrates on Foucault’s writings that give rise to these controversies. Yet it also aims to help reading this notoriously difficult author. Hence, the first sessions will focus on his most important concepts – knowledge and discourse, power and governmentality, subjectivation und “techniques of the self”. The second part of the seminar aims to reconstruct the perspective on political questions and events that is offered by Foucault and the relationship between politics and philosophy that this perspective implies.
Preparatory Reading
Eribon, Didier 1993 [1989]: Michel Foucault. Eine Biographie. Frankfurt a. M.: Suhrkamp.
Kelly, Mark G. E. 2009: The Political Philosophy of Michel Foucault. New York/London: Routledge.
Sarasin, Philipp 2008: Michel Foucault zur Einführung. 3. Aufl. Hamburg: Junius.