Clare
Thanks for the reply. I quite enjoyed Les Anormaux - the main reason being
how much there was that gave a hint of how the History of Sexuality series
would have run in its originally planned form. Vol I is very disappointing -
if taken on its own - but it seems very much an overview of ideas and
positions to be further explored. Sexuality's four constituent subjects are
set up: the perverse adult, the hysterical woman, the masturbating child,
the Malthusian couple and the original plan was to treat each of these in a
single volume (Les pervers; La femme, la mere et l'hysterique; La croisade
des enfants; Races et populations). The other volume was to be on confession
(La chair et le corps). Les Anormaux seems to me to clearly be concerned
with the perverse adult, there is one lecture and a bit of another on the
masturbating child, and running themes treating confession and the flesh.
The stuff on the perverse adult is really interesting, especially the
material on hermaphrodites. The bits on masturbation were equally good. I
wasn't so sure about the bits on confession, and as i understand it the work
on confession for La chair et le corps (planned vol II) was what led
Foucault to abandon the original plan and work more historically than
thematically. Daniel Defert told the editors of Les Anormaux that F had
destroyed the manuscript for the original vol II.
I think it's a great shame we don't have the volumes as originally planned.
Clearly from the material here, Les pervers would have been a great book.
There is some fascinating documentary material. The volume on women would
have answered a number of the questions feminists raise about Foucault's
work - whether they would have agreed with him any more or less is of course
debatable. And the final chapter of Vol I seems to me to be one of the most
interesting in the book - the only other lecture course published ('Il faut
defendre la societe') treats this in detail, it would have presumably been
continued in Races et populations, and might well have greatly improved our
knowledge of Foucault's notions of bio-power and governmentality.
I've just about finished an article (co-written) drawing on Foucault's work
here on hermaphrodites, and juxtaposing it with Freud on bisexuality. I'm
considering writing a piece on how Foucault's analysis of space is central
to his understanding the crusade against masturbation. It strikes me there
is much else here that could be mined productively.
Best
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Clare
O'Farrell
Sent: 22 February 2000 00:59
To: foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Les anormaux
Stuart
I am reading Les anormaux at present. What strikes me is Foucault's ironic
sense of humour, which I used to enjoy when I was attending his lectures. I
don't think the material is amongst his better stuff, but then I think the
stuff he produced during the 1970s in general tended to be very uneven. In
my view TheHistory of Sexuality volume 1 is his worst book and reads almost
like a parody of his other work and Discipline and Punish although it is
interesting and useful lacks the spark of some of some of his other work.
But I am really only at the beginning of Les anormaux - maybe it gets
better. Having said this it is still okay.
Clare
***********************************************************
Clare O'Farrell
email:c.ofarrell@xxxxxxxxxx
web page: http://www.qut.edu.au/edu/cpol/foucault/
***********************************************************
Thanks for the reply. I quite enjoyed Les Anormaux - the main reason being
how much there was that gave a hint of how the History of Sexuality series
would have run in its originally planned form. Vol I is very disappointing -
if taken on its own - but it seems very much an overview of ideas and
positions to be further explored. Sexuality's four constituent subjects are
set up: the perverse adult, the hysterical woman, the masturbating child,
the Malthusian couple and the original plan was to treat each of these in a
single volume (Les pervers; La femme, la mere et l'hysterique; La croisade
des enfants; Races et populations). The other volume was to be on confession
(La chair et le corps). Les Anormaux seems to me to clearly be concerned
with the perverse adult, there is one lecture and a bit of another on the
masturbating child, and running themes treating confession and the flesh.
The stuff on the perverse adult is really interesting, especially the
material on hermaphrodites. The bits on masturbation were equally good. I
wasn't so sure about the bits on confession, and as i understand it the work
on confession for La chair et le corps (planned vol II) was what led
Foucault to abandon the original plan and work more historically than
thematically. Daniel Defert told the editors of Les Anormaux that F had
destroyed the manuscript for the original vol II.
I think it's a great shame we don't have the volumes as originally planned.
Clearly from the material here, Les pervers would have been a great book.
There is some fascinating documentary material. The volume on women would
have answered a number of the questions feminists raise about Foucault's
work - whether they would have agreed with him any more or less is of course
debatable. And the final chapter of Vol I seems to me to be one of the most
interesting in the book - the only other lecture course published ('Il faut
defendre la societe') treats this in detail, it would have presumably been
continued in Races et populations, and might well have greatly improved our
knowledge of Foucault's notions of bio-power and governmentality.
I've just about finished an article (co-written) drawing on Foucault's work
here on hermaphrodites, and juxtaposing it with Freud on bisexuality. I'm
considering writing a piece on how Foucault's analysis of space is central
to his understanding the crusade against masturbation. It strikes me there
is much else here that could be mined productively.
Best
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Clare
O'Farrell
Sent: 22 February 2000 00:59
To: foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Les anormaux
Stuart
I am reading Les anormaux at present. What strikes me is Foucault's ironic
sense of humour, which I used to enjoy when I was attending his lectures. I
don't think the material is amongst his better stuff, but then I think the
stuff he produced during the 1970s in general tended to be very uneven. In
my view TheHistory of Sexuality volume 1 is his worst book and reads almost
like a parody of his other work and Discipline and Punish although it is
interesting and useful lacks the spark of some of some of his other work.
But I am really only at the beginning of Les anormaux - maybe it gets
better. Having said this it is still okay.
Clare
***********************************************************
Clare O'Farrell
email:c.ofarrell@xxxxxxxxxx
web page: http://www.qut.edu.au/edu/cpol/foucault/
***********************************************************