On Sun, 14 Apr 1996, Dan Harrison wrote:
> Lawrence Hazelrigg: -Social Science and the Challenge of Relatavism-
> 1989, Tallahassee: Florida State University Press. pp. 388-409.
>
I was struck by the following reference, offerred in reply to a
different request. Can anyone suggest any other recent works that explore the
debate over relativism as it applies to discourse and post-structural
social theory? (Aside from Rorty)?
I'm presently working on a thesis which is examining the debate between
Laclau and Mouffe and (mostly) Marxist responses to their work. To the
extent that they engage Foucault in developing their concept of
discourse, he is drawn into my research. Its occurred to me recently
that the debate i'm studying, in most instances, is a debate over
relativism: in recognizing the contingency and non-necessity of the
foundations upon which one's central beliefs are founded, what is one
left to appeal to in articulating these beliefs with/against other
discourses, other social positions? How can one attempt to ensure a just
and fair society if the only basis for this society is discursive, in the
way we talk about the world? Even 'opposition to cruelty' appears to have no
foundation outside of society's partial concensus on the matter, and any
value or idea becomes totalitarian and potentially oppressive when it
sutures discourse, or becomes unquestionable. These are the dilemmas we
live with today, and i'm surprised at how long its taken me to recognize
its obvious centrality to my topic. In any case, if anyone would like to
share any ideas or discuss these matters at all, please let me know.
Thank you.
> Lawrence Hazelrigg: -Social Science and the Challenge of Relatavism-
> 1989, Tallahassee: Florida State University Press. pp. 388-409.
>
I was struck by the following reference, offerred in reply to a
different request. Can anyone suggest any other recent works that explore the
debate over relativism as it applies to discourse and post-structural
social theory? (Aside from Rorty)?
I'm presently working on a thesis which is examining the debate between
Laclau and Mouffe and (mostly) Marxist responses to their work. To the
extent that they engage Foucault in developing their concept of
discourse, he is drawn into my research. Its occurred to me recently
that the debate i'm studying, in most instances, is a debate over
relativism: in recognizing the contingency and non-necessity of the
foundations upon which one's central beliefs are founded, what is one
left to appeal to in articulating these beliefs with/against other
discourses, other social positions? How can one attempt to ensure a just
and fair society if the only basis for this society is discursive, in the
way we talk about the world? Even 'opposition to cruelty' appears to have no
foundation outside of society's partial concensus on the matter, and any
value or idea becomes totalitarian and potentially oppressive when it
sutures discourse, or becomes unquestionable. These are the dilemmas we
live with today, and i'm surprised at how long its taken me to recognize
its obvious centrality to my topic. In any case, if anyone would like to
share any ideas or discuss these matters at all, please let me know.
Thank you.