ANTH 303 Anthropological Theory
Fall 2017
Nov. 2:  READ Foucault, Michel (1982) “The Subject and Power.” Critical Inquiry 8(4):777-795

Plagiarism assignment

The following questions will help guide our discussion as we try to make sense of this, and other, theories. In addition, we will apply the theory to the video shown in the first day of class.

How can this theory be seen as a product of the historical period in which it was created?

What questions does this theory ask?

What information does this theory see as important?

What are other relevant assumptions made by the theory?

How does the theory analyse this information to answer the questions it sees as important?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of this approach?

Some key concepts from Foucault:
- subject
    - subjective experience of identity changes as system of knowledge changes
- power: not a thing; rather, one must study how it is exercised; power as a set of actions on action
    - governance, conduct, governmentality
- force, communication and power relations are different dimensions of power; Foucault is most interested in power relations.
- importance of system of knowledge (e.g. Enlightenment), as linked to history
    - archaeology of knowledge
- power is resisted; there is the possibility that subjects will refuse to submit. Thus, relationships of power are agonistic;
    - three types of struggles: against domination; against exploitation; against systems of objectification of individual (he historicizes tendencies toward each of these)
    - interested in current governmentality of individualization
- how does pastoral power work?
    - panopticon
    - discipline
- discourse reflects political system of knowledge
- biopower

How would Foucault analyse the video?
- what do we learn about different subjectivities?
- how does power operate here?
- is housecleaning connected to biopower?

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