Hi Cameron,
this is an interesting one. I had a couple of thoughts:
you could problematise the notion of 'illicit' drugs compared say to
those that are 'not illicit'/illegal. How and why did some drugs come to
be illicit/not illicit at a particular point in time?
the medicalisation of 'substance abuse'how did a distinction come to
be made between 'use' and 'abuse'? Also drawing on some of F's earlier
work on bio-power and the differentiation of sick and healthy, or normal
and not-normal people
I think the starting point for any study is a problematisation of
language used, eg. subtance abuse, illicit drugs, and as you mentioned,
the 'problem' of illicit drug use.
In terms of reference I am in the education field and there are a stack
of people using Foucualt, including Erica McWilliam, Robin Usher,
Richard Edwards, Nicky Solomon, Patti Lather, Elizabeth Adams St Pierre,
Carmen Luke, Jennifer Gore to name a few. Several of these are feminist
Foucauldians-my particular interest!
From recollection none of these are very specific on methodology. I
found a phD thesis by a woman at QUT, Caroline Hatcher the most helpful
I think. Her 1998 thesis is entitled "Making the Enterprising Manager in
Australia: A genealogy".
She has also published some stuff with Erica McWilliam and Daphne
Meadmore which talks about genealogy-see for example Meadmore, Hatcher,
& McWilliam (2000) Getting tense about genealogy, in Qualitative Studies
in Education 13 (1)
Regards
Anita
Cameron Duff wrote:
> Hello All,
>
>I must say it's been very pleasing to watch the recent increase in the
>volume of postings on this list; for a time there I was beginning to worry
>if indeed we had all but 'forgotten Foucault'...but no, the list has once
>again sprung into vibrancy! Much relief...I would like to post a query on
>this list about the existing secondary literature concerning the analysis of
>Foucault's methods. I recall writing a section in my thesis on the various
>pieces of Foucault's own writings that address notions of method and
>epistemology (Nietzsche, Genealogy, History; Two Lectures, What is
>Enlightenment? the Subject and Power, Questions of Method etc); though
>Foucault rarely spoke of methodologies in the manner of a more
>traditional/conventional research scholar. However, it is precisely this
>notion of the anti-science, of Foucault's elliptical critique of a more
>conventional epistemology that is of most interest to me now in my more
>recent work on the 'problem' of illicit drug misuse.
>
>Recently I have been thinking about how one might come to apply some of
>Foucault's insights to the issue of substance misuse. Specifically, I have
>begun thinking about a more foucauldian inspired research agenda within the
>alcohol and other drugs field. In other words, how might a 'foucauldian'
>approach the problem of illicit drugs? What would be the principal objects
>of interest? How would this research proceed, according to which methods? I
>would certainly be interested to know what others on the list thought of
>these issues...
>
>However, I also thought it would be useful to explore the secondary
>literature to examine how various of Foucault's methods have been 'applied'
>in other fields (ie education, social work, criminology, health sciences
>etc). Can anyone recommend any works of interest? I am particularly
>interested in pieces of writing that address the issue of Foucault's methods
>and their application. I recently came across Kendall and Wickham's 'Using
>Foucault's Methods' (Sage 1999), though have found it somewhat
>unsatisfactory. Any other suggestions?
>
>With thanks,
>
>Dr Cameron Duff
>Director of Research,
>Centre for Youth Drug Studies
>
>PO Box 818, North Melbourne. 3051
>TEL: 03 9278 8118
>FAX: 03 9328 3008
>cameron@xxxxxxxxxx
>www.adf.org.au
>
>
>DISCLAIMER: This e-mail may contain information which represents the views
>and opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect those of the
>Australian Drug Foundation as an organization. The information in this
>e-mail is confidential. It is intended solely for the use of the
>addressee(s) named. Any unauthorized use of this e-mail or its contents is
>strictly prohibited. Please advise us if you have received this e-mail in
>error. Thank you.
>
>
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this is an interesting one. I had a couple of thoughts:
you could problematise the notion of 'illicit' drugs compared say to
those that are 'not illicit'/illegal. How and why did some drugs come to
be illicit/not illicit at a particular point in time?
the medicalisation of 'substance abuse'how did a distinction come to
be made between 'use' and 'abuse'? Also drawing on some of F's earlier
work on bio-power and the differentiation of sick and healthy, or normal
and not-normal people
I think the starting point for any study is a problematisation of
language used, eg. subtance abuse, illicit drugs, and as you mentioned,
the 'problem' of illicit drug use.
In terms of reference I am in the education field and there are a stack
of people using Foucualt, including Erica McWilliam, Robin Usher,
Richard Edwards, Nicky Solomon, Patti Lather, Elizabeth Adams St Pierre,
Carmen Luke, Jennifer Gore to name a few. Several of these are feminist
Foucauldians-my particular interest!
From recollection none of these are very specific on methodology. I
found a phD thesis by a woman at QUT, Caroline Hatcher the most helpful
I think. Her 1998 thesis is entitled "Making the Enterprising Manager in
Australia: A genealogy".
She has also published some stuff with Erica McWilliam and Daphne
Meadmore which talks about genealogy-see for example Meadmore, Hatcher,
& McWilliam (2000) Getting tense about genealogy, in Qualitative Studies
in Education 13 (1)
Regards
Anita
Cameron Duff wrote:
> Hello All,
>
>I must say it's been very pleasing to watch the recent increase in the
>volume of postings on this list; for a time there I was beginning to worry
>if indeed we had all but 'forgotten Foucault'...but no, the list has once
>again sprung into vibrancy! Much relief...I would like to post a query on
>this list about the existing secondary literature concerning the analysis of
>Foucault's methods. I recall writing a section in my thesis on the various
>pieces of Foucault's own writings that address notions of method and
>epistemology (Nietzsche, Genealogy, History; Two Lectures, What is
>Enlightenment? the Subject and Power, Questions of Method etc); though
>Foucault rarely spoke of methodologies in the manner of a more
>traditional/conventional research scholar. However, it is precisely this
>notion of the anti-science, of Foucault's elliptical critique of a more
>conventional epistemology that is of most interest to me now in my more
>recent work on the 'problem' of illicit drug misuse.
>
>Recently I have been thinking about how one might come to apply some of
>Foucault's insights to the issue of substance misuse. Specifically, I have
>begun thinking about a more foucauldian inspired research agenda within the
>alcohol and other drugs field. In other words, how might a 'foucauldian'
>approach the problem of illicit drugs? What would be the principal objects
>of interest? How would this research proceed, according to which methods? I
>would certainly be interested to know what others on the list thought of
>these issues...
>
>However, I also thought it would be useful to explore the secondary
>literature to examine how various of Foucault's methods have been 'applied'
>in other fields (ie education, social work, criminology, health sciences
>etc). Can anyone recommend any works of interest? I am particularly
>interested in pieces of writing that address the issue of Foucault's methods
>and their application. I recently came across Kendall and Wickham's 'Using
>Foucault's Methods' (Sage 1999), though have found it somewhat
>unsatisfactory. Any other suggestions?
>
>With thanks,
>
>Dr Cameron Duff
>Director of Research,
>Centre for Youth Drug Studies
>
>PO Box 818, North Melbourne. 3051
>TEL: 03 9278 8118
>FAX: 03 9328 3008
>cameron@xxxxxxxxxx
>www.adf.org.au
>
>
>DISCLAIMER: This e-mail may contain information which represents the views
>and opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect those of the
>Australian Drug Foundation as an organization. The information in this
>e-mail is confidential. It is intended solely for the use of the
>addressee(s) named. Any unauthorized use of this e-mail or its contents is
>strictly prohibited. Please advise us if you have received this e-mail in
>error. Thank you.
>
>
--
UTS CRICOS Provider Code: 00099F
DISCLAIMER: This email message and any accompanying attachments may contain
confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, do not
read, use, disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If
you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately
and delete this message. Any views expressed in this message are those of the
individual sender, except where the sender expressly, and with authority,
states them to be the views the University of Technology Sydney. Before
opening any attachments, please check them for viruses and defects.