I think that you can find a clear answer to this question in Didier Eribon's
book on Foucault.
In his French edition (Flammarion, 1991) Eribon describes this moment (p.105-109). Foucault has submitted a draft of his thesis to Stirn Lindroth. The Swedish professor was not really positive in supporting Foucault to present his thesis at the university of Uppsala. It is true that the Swedish professor has strongly criticized Foucault's draft. So, Foucault never defended his thesis at the Univ. of Uppsala.
Though, Jean Cristophe Oberg thinks (Eribon says) that Foucault has not really considered to defend his thesis in Sweden. Thus, Foucault leaves Sweden for Varsovia (1958) "avec le manuscrit (de l'Histoire de la Folie) presqu'acheve."
Foucault will defend his thesis in Paris on May, 20th 1961
Best,
Nicolae
----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank Ejby Poulsen" <frank.ejby.poulsen@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <foucault-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 12:02 PM
Subject: [Foucault-L] Foucault's PhD dissertation and Sweden: biographicalelements
In his French edition (Flammarion, 1991) Eribon describes this moment (p.105-109). Foucault has submitted a draft of his thesis to Stirn Lindroth. The Swedish professor was not really positive in supporting Foucault to present his thesis at the university of Uppsala. It is true that the Swedish professor has strongly criticized Foucault's draft. So, Foucault never defended his thesis at the Univ. of Uppsala.
Though, Jean Cristophe Oberg thinks (Eribon says) that Foucault has not really considered to defend his thesis in Sweden. Thus, Foucault leaves Sweden for Varsovia (1958) "avec le manuscrit (de l'Histoire de la Folie) presqu'acheve."
Foucault will defend his thesis in Paris on May, 20th 1961
Best,
Nicolae
----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank Ejby Poulsen" <frank.ejby.poulsen@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <foucault-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 12:02 PM
Subject: [Foucault-L] Foucault's PhD dissertation and Sweden: biographicalelements
Hello,
I have a question regarding Foucault's biography to which I did not find any
answer in the mail list's archive. I thought I read somewhere in a biography
on Foucault that "Madness and Civilisation", his PhD dissertation, was first
presented to the University of Stockholm (or another Swedish university)
during his stay in Sweden because Foucault at that time was very concerned
with breaking bridges with France, and that it was rejected for not being
scientific enough in its method. I cannot remember the source of the reading
unfortunately. Recently I discussed this point with a professor in
philosophy at the University of Vienna, specialised in French contemporary
philosophy, who discarded this point of biography. As I do not remember the
exact source (and as I am but a student facing an"expert", and "following
scientists" and "scientific authority" :-)) uncertainty grew in my mind. Can
anyone confirm or infirm this assertion with some references? It seems I am
simply unable to put my hand on the volume and the page where I thought I
read that. Or perhaps I simply misunderstood.
Thank you so much in advance,
Frank.
--
Frank Ejby Poulsen (BLM, MPhil, MPA)
Schelleingasse 36 / 615
A-1014 Wien
Austria
Tel: (+43 1) 501 52 615
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