Ferda Keskin wrote:
> In other words, what has F.'s life got to do with the application of
> his ideas to new concrete political situations? If we say that his
> "work is the historico-philosophical application of ideas and
> interests that occured within the framework of F.'s life alone" (note
> the strong implications of the word 'alone'), as Nicholas did, are we
> not narrowing the significance of that work down to that life 'alone'?
> When Zapatistas in Mexico claim to be inspired by Foucault (which they
> do) should we say "F.'s work was an application of what happened in
> his life 'alone', and bears no significance on the your movement."
> Hopefully not!
Clearly you were responding to a possibility that you read into my
statement, as I cannot see anything *in context* in what you have quoted
of me, other than "alone," that suggests that I believe that it is
illegitimate to use Foucault's ideas as a political tool.
I don't care too much about the Zapatistas, for instance, as the
problem in the region is not "capitalism" but corruption and too little
local development. But if they want to use Foucault in their platform,
fine by me. Incidentally, the Zapatistas must be some pretty
well-educated rebels to be able to use an obscure French philosopher to
get themselves all hot and bothered.
Nicholas
> In other words, what has F.'s life got to do with the application of
> his ideas to new concrete political situations? If we say that his
> "work is the historico-philosophical application of ideas and
> interests that occured within the framework of F.'s life alone" (note
> the strong implications of the word 'alone'), as Nicholas did, are we
> not narrowing the significance of that work down to that life 'alone'?
> When Zapatistas in Mexico claim to be inspired by Foucault (which they
> do) should we say "F.'s work was an application of what happened in
> his life 'alone', and bears no significance on the your movement."
> Hopefully not!
Clearly you were responding to a possibility that you read into my
statement, as I cannot see anything *in context* in what you have quoted
of me, other than "alone," that suggests that I believe that it is
illegitimate to use Foucault's ideas as a political tool.
I don't care too much about the Zapatistas, for instance, as the
problem in the region is not "capitalism" but corruption and too little
local development. But if they want to use Foucault in their platform,
fine by me. Incidentally, the Zapatistas must be some pretty
well-educated rebels to be able to use an obscure French philosopher to
get themselves all hot and bothered.
Nicholas