It is very interesting to me how Foucault's discriptions of diciplinary
practices and 'regulatory fuctions' are interpreted as attacks on them,
and calls for their elimination. To my knowledge, this is not
Foucault's goal. An understanding of the ways in which we opperate
within power relations and institutions does not call for the
elimination of those relations and institutions, but allows us to
locate sites from which we can resist. Foucault is not an anarchist.
He does not call for the elimination of normative practices, but
shows us methods by which they can be evaluated, illuminated, and
undercut where we see fit. All of this requires a prior awareness of
exactly what one's commitments and positions are, and a recognition
that when one calls for change, one may be complicit with another
oppressive power structure.
And aren't the flames as much of a regulating of discussion on this list
as the posts to which they are replying?
Just a few thoughts,
Joanna Crosby
crosbyjl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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