Steven Meinking recently wrote:
If we juxtapose the local critique with institutional totalitarian
theories, one may interpret Foucault as encouraging local practice as a
non-determinate form continuously in transformation as a result of
drawing its position from the practices of knowledge around it. In such
a case, totalitarian theories are not to be "consigned to the flames,"
but rather incorporated for critical purposes.
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This makes sense to me, and it is also what Foucault did with
the totalizing (and institutionalized) theory of Marxism. By beginning
instead with the "historical contents" of a specific situation such as
prisons, F was able to write an analysis that transforms Marxist ways of
talking about social conlict. Yet he maintains a few hints of Marxist
theories whenever he refers to economics in the background.
Of course he also opened a space for the (re)emergence of
"subjugated knowledges" at the same time. The mad, the infamous, the
criminal, the deviant, etc.
One can see that a Foucauldian methodology applied to colonialism
would not begin with a total theory--i.e., Marxist views of colonialism
might actually hinder further "research" than help. Instead, begin with
a specific, local, site. Allow the "contents" of that site to transform
your theories. And allow a space for subjugated knowledges to emerge.
--Erick Heroux
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If we juxtapose the local critique with institutional totalitarian
theories, one may interpret Foucault as encouraging local practice as a
non-determinate form continuously in transformation as a result of
drawing its position from the practices of knowledge around it. In such
a case, totalitarian theories are not to be "consigned to the flames,"
but rather incorporated for critical purposes.
---------------------------------------------
This makes sense to me, and it is also what Foucault did with
the totalizing (and institutionalized) theory of Marxism. By beginning
instead with the "historical contents" of a specific situation such as
prisons, F was able to write an analysis that transforms Marxist ways of
talking about social conlict. Yet he maintains a few hints of Marxist
theories whenever he refers to economics in the background.
Of course he also opened a space for the (re)emergence of
"subjugated knowledges" at the same time. The mad, the infamous, the
criminal, the deviant, etc.
One can see that a Foucauldian methodology applied to colonialism
would not begin with a total theory--i.e., Marxist views of colonialism
might actually hinder further "research" than help. Instead, begin with
a specific, local, site. Allow the "contents" of that site to transform
your theories. And allow a space for subjugated knowledges to emerge.
--Erick Heroux
------------------