Probably Foucault's best single essay on the relationship between the
individual and government is from the Tanner Lectures, "Omnes et
Singulatum". This and other essays from F. and like-minded authors can be
found in the book, Technologies of the Self. There's a wonderful phrase
where F. notes that "what the police see to is a live, active and productive
man. Turquet employs a very remarkable expression. He says, `The police's
true object is man'". In this way, authority (and rhetoric) does not merely
control, it produces.
The irony, though, is that power and self are Janus-faced. The power which
says "you" are an individual awakens the very reality of one's self.
Individualism is a social construct and it is this loop that must be
broken-or at least struggled against- if resistance will be realized. I
suspect the circularity of this relationship disturbs many theorists!
C. Welch
>does anyone know of a place to look where foucault discusses the
>juridical/disciplinary distinction and its implications upon discourses,
>language, or rhetoric? i want to argue that a contractual oppression based
>model of rhetoric ignores both the productive nature of power and the
>disciplinary characteristics of rhetoric. for example, a criticism of
>persuasion as the power of the rhetor over another sees power from purely a
>repressive/contractual lens. i've read "two lectures" in power/knowledge
>and tried to find hits in _discipline and punish_ and _history of sexuality,
>vol 1_, but i could use some more help. thanks.
>
>feel no harm...
>
>
>
Colin B. Welch
SD88
CANADA
eMAIL: cwelch@xxxxxxxxxxxxx * Phone: 1+604+
# #
------------------
individual and government is from the Tanner Lectures, "Omnes et
Singulatum". This and other essays from F. and like-minded authors can be
found in the book, Technologies of the Self. There's a wonderful phrase
where F. notes that "what the police see to is a live, active and productive
man. Turquet employs a very remarkable expression. He says, `The police's
true object is man'". In this way, authority (and rhetoric) does not merely
control, it produces.
The irony, though, is that power and self are Janus-faced. The power which
says "you" are an individual awakens the very reality of one's self.
Individualism is a social construct and it is this loop that must be
broken-or at least struggled against- if resistance will be realized. I
suspect the circularity of this relationship disturbs many theorists!
C. Welch
>does anyone know of a place to look where foucault discusses the
>juridical/disciplinary distinction and its implications upon discourses,
>language, or rhetoric? i want to argue that a contractual oppression based
>model of rhetoric ignores both the productive nature of power and the
>disciplinary characteristics of rhetoric. for example, a criticism of
>persuasion as the power of the rhetor over another sees power from purely a
>repressive/contractual lens. i've read "two lectures" in power/knowledge
>and tried to find hits in _discipline and punish_ and _history of sexuality,
>vol 1_, but i could use some more help. thanks.
>
>feel no harm...
>
>
>
Colin B. Welch
SD88
CANADA
eMAIL: cwelch@xxxxxxxxxxxxx * Phone: 1+604+
# #
------------------