Re: Normalization and Control

On Thu, 15 Sep 1994, Paul Rutherford wrote:

> "Power is not so much a matter of imposing constraints upon citizens as of
> 'making up' citizens capable of bearing a kind of regulated freedom. Personal
> autonomy is not the antithesis of political power, but a key term in its
> exercise, the more so because most individuals are not merely the subjects of
> power but play a part in its operations." Rose & Miller

I find your comments very insightful. I thought that the notion of power
in Foucault was one of deployment, with no notion of, if you like, "good"
or "bad" power, but the hope that some sort of equalization eventually
takes place, such that "good" power would probably derive from
marginalized individuals.

As for personal autonomy vis a vis political power, do you think Deleuze
and Guattari's "the personal is the political" bears any insight on this
notion?

Rafael Acuna
Ateneo de Manila University
ralph@xxxxxxxxxxx



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