> I have come across the expresion Leftfield but don't know what
> it means. Can you help?
It comes from baseball. I'm actually not sure what it means in baseball terms as the ball never actually comes out of left field. Basically it just means the same thing as comming "out of the blue." Basically that it has no basis in the prior argumentation and seems to be totally random.
> 'there is no subject prior to power'
Basically the idea is tied to the constructive (as opposed to repressive) nature of power. Under the classical model of power (Foucault calls this the repressive hypothesis) an individual has an essential, born in nature or subjectivity. Power is seen as a repressive force which supresses parts of this essential nature. Foucault argues that in fact, the subject has no essential nature prior to power relations. Power relations invest an individual with his/her subjectivity. In other words, power relations *create* identitiy, they don't repress it. Don't worry if this is confusing at first, it took me quite a long time to wrap my head around it :)
> it means. Can you help?
It comes from baseball. I'm actually not sure what it means in baseball terms as the ball never actually comes out of left field. Basically it just means the same thing as comming "out of the blue." Basically that it has no basis in the prior argumentation and seems to be totally random.
> 'there is no subject prior to power'
Basically the idea is tied to the constructive (as opposed to repressive) nature of power. Under the classical model of power (Foucault calls this the repressive hypothesis) an individual has an essential, born in nature or subjectivity. Power is seen as a repressive force which supresses parts of this essential nature. Foucault argues that in fact, the subject has no essential nature prior to power relations. Power relations invest an individual with his/her subjectivity. In other words, power relations *create* identitiy, they don't repress it. Don't worry if this is confusing at first, it took me quite a long time to wrap my head around it :)