Antoine,
If you do have a transcript of the interview with Chomsky, I would love to
get a copy. I wonder if you could post it to the list, or if you could tell
me where to find it. (I've been searching for it in vain for some time.)
You asked if anyone on the list had any opinions on the failure of Chomsky
and Foucault to join forces. It seems to me that their biggest divergence
would come over the issue of agency, and would therefore preclude any
in-depth alliance. Chomsky is committed to the notion of power as it is
embodied by actual persons, an intellectual and economic elite which
controls the various ongoings of the planet from a position of omniscience
and omnipotence. Foucault would have had a hard time relating to anyone
with this notion, as he is clearly against any idea of power as something
which can be used against others or as something which can be deprived.
Indeed, Foucault urges us to see power in terms of a network of relations
rather than as something which is merely repressive. I think Chomsky would
reject this notion completely as being apolitical.
However, I can only guess at what their interaction and points of
contention would be. That's why I would love to get a hold of the
transcript of that discussion.
Peter Campbell
------------------
If you do have a transcript of the interview with Chomsky, I would love to
get a copy. I wonder if you could post it to the list, or if you could tell
me where to find it. (I've been searching for it in vain for some time.)
You asked if anyone on the list had any opinions on the failure of Chomsky
and Foucault to join forces. It seems to me that their biggest divergence
would come over the issue of agency, and would therefore preclude any
in-depth alliance. Chomsky is committed to the notion of power as it is
embodied by actual persons, an intellectual and economic elite which
controls the various ongoings of the planet from a position of omniscience
and omnipotence. Foucault would have had a hard time relating to anyone
with this notion, as he is clearly against any idea of power as something
which can be used against others or as something which can be deprived.
Indeed, Foucault urges us to see power in terms of a network of relations
rather than as something which is merely repressive. I think Chomsky would
reject this notion completely as being apolitical.
However, I can only guess at what their interaction and points of
contention would be. That's why I would love to get a hold of the
transcript of that discussion.
Peter Campbell
------------------