I would love for their to be an undergraduate course on Foucault at my school however the philosophy department's analytically based and the only departments to offer anything that even mentions Foucault would be sexuality studies, women's studies and the English department. I'm in a rather useful literary theory course where we do read selections of Foucault among other writers, the selections coming from D&P, The History of Sexuality volume 1, and his famous essay "What is an Author' among other things.
I would definitely start with the classic Discipline and Punish if you are a newcomer to Foucault. Then go on to The History of Sexuality volume 1 and his lecture courses "Society Must be Defended", "Psychiatric Power", and "Abnormal" (an underrated gem in the lecture series, in my opinion).
Once you understand the different aspects to his concept of power, then go on to what are perhaps my two favorite power-centered lecture courses, "Security Territory Population" and then "The Birth of Biopolitics".
I agree with everything else Nathaniel says, but I would like to add once you've read Foucault's power-related work and essays/interviews, I would then try to read his perhaps two most challenging yet important books, "The Order of Things" and "The Archaeology of Knowledge". They're a lot more dense and complex than his other works yet they very clearly articulate the general logic that works behind Foucault's philosophy, namely the idea of the end of the Cartesian subject and the interrelation between fields of discourse and power, among other things. The Archaeology of Knowledge is perhaps one of my three favorite books by Foucault. His other archaeologies on medicine and madness you can go on to after that.
That is just a suggested order, there are better orders you could go by, but definitely start with Discipline and Punish.
________________________________________
From: foucault-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [foucault-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Nathaniel Roberts [npr4@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 2:44 PM
To: Mailing-list
Subject: Re: [Foucault-L] Undergraduate Foucault Course?
I took a course with Paul Rabinow when I was an undergrad at Berkeley, and
we pretty much just read _Discipline and Punish_ the whole semester. We
read a few other pieces, including some Weber, and some of the essays from
Crary & Kwinter eds, _Incorportations_ (1992). But for most of the
semester, we just worked our way through _D&P_. It was great. Of course,
this approach depends much on the instructor's ability to bring out what is
so interesting and unique about that text (Rabinow used a kind of modified
Socratic method --reading passages and asking us what we thought it meant,
then questioning our answers, etc.)
The point is that you don't need to have a huge reading list for the course
to work. I personally might consider beginning with some writings that
exemplify what Foucault isn't... for example, something which exemplifies
the idea of power as repressive, and also perhaps something on ideology
(Terry Eagleton's _Ideology_ is a great introductory text) --so that
students might appreciate what is meant by a form of power that doesn't
operate primarily on the level of meaning but through the disposition of
bodies, or what it actually means that in our political theorizing "we have
not yet cut of the head of the king." So, for example, maybe you could
start off with Locke...
Or, suppose you want to read read _The History of Sexuality_, vol. 1... you
could start by reading Freud (or, more entertainingly, Wilhelm Reich)...
Another great text, which really repays careful study is _Security,
Territory, Population_. The opening lectures explain the distinctions among
--and relations between-- sovereignty, discipline and governmentality [which
at that time Foucault was calling "security"] better than anything I've ever
read (including secondary sources)... although it wouldn't mean very much to
the student who has not yet grasped the distinction between sovereignty and
disciplinary power. So if you're thinking of using this text, I'd
definitely have students work through _Discipline and Punish_ first.
So that's my 2¢,
Nate
Nate
On Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 7:42 AM, Todd Callais <callaist@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Colleagues,
>
> Recently, I was granted permission to teach an honors undergraduate seminar
> on Foucault's work at Denison University. I am a sociologist but I hope
> that
> the course will draw students from history, philosophy and political
> science.
>
> I am writing because I have not been able to find syllabi or course
> descriptions for any courses dedicated to the work of Michel Foucault at
> the
> graduate or undergraduate level. While the course will be my design I
> typically enjoy seeing what others have done for guidance.
>
> I was wondering whether anyone had syllabi or partial syllabi they would
> feel comfortable sharing or suggestions on places that I could look for
> graduate or undergraduate courses on Foucault. Also, if anyone has found a
> reader that they find especially helpful for relaying the work of Foucault
> to undergraduates I would appreciate that greatly as well.
>
> Because of the specific nature of this request, feel free to email me
> directly at tcallais@xxxxxxxxx .
>
> thanks in advance for any help,
>
> Todd M. Callais
> Department of Sociology and Anthropology
> Denison University
> _______________________________________________
> Foucault-L mailing list
>
--
Nathaniel Roberts
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
Columbia University
_______________________________________________
Foucault-L mailing list
I would definitely start with the classic Discipline and Punish if you are a newcomer to Foucault. Then go on to The History of Sexuality volume 1 and his lecture courses "Society Must be Defended", "Psychiatric Power", and "Abnormal" (an underrated gem in the lecture series, in my opinion).
Once you understand the different aspects to his concept of power, then go on to what are perhaps my two favorite power-centered lecture courses, "Security Territory Population" and then "The Birth of Biopolitics".
I agree with everything else Nathaniel says, but I would like to add once you've read Foucault's power-related work and essays/interviews, I would then try to read his perhaps two most challenging yet important books, "The Order of Things" and "The Archaeology of Knowledge". They're a lot more dense and complex than his other works yet they very clearly articulate the general logic that works behind Foucault's philosophy, namely the idea of the end of the Cartesian subject and the interrelation between fields of discourse and power, among other things. The Archaeology of Knowledge is perhaps one of my three favorite books by Foucault. His other archaeologies on medicine and madness you can go on to after that.
That is just a suggested order, there are better orders you could go by, but definitely start with Discipline and Punish.
________________________________________
From: foucault-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [foucault-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Nathaniel Roberts [npr4@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 2:44 PM
To: Mailing-list
Subject: Re: [Foucault-L] Undergraduate Foucault Course?
I took a course with Paul Rabinow when I was an undergrad at Berkeley, and
we pretty much just read _Discipline and Punish_ the whole semester. We
read a few other pieces, including some Weber, and some of the essays from
Crary & Kwinter eds, _Incorportations_ (1992). But for most of the
semester, we just worked our way through _D&P_. It was great. Of course,
this approach depends much on the instructor's ability to bring out what is
so interesting and unique about that text (Rabinow used a kind of modified
Socratic method --reading passages and asking us what we thought it meant,
then questioning our answers, etc.)
The point is that you don't need to have a huge reading list for the course
to work. I personally might consider beginning with some writings that
exemplify what Foucault isn't... for example, something which exemplifies
the idea of power as repressive, and also perhaps something on ideology
(Terry Eagleton's _Ideology_ is a great introductory text) --so that
students might appreciate what is meant by a form of power that doesn't
operate primarily on the level of meaning but through the disposition of
bodies, or what it actually means that in our political theorizing "we have
not yet cut of the head of the king." So, for example, maybe you could
start off with Locke...
Or, suppose you want to read read _The History of Sexuality_, vol. 1... you
could start by reading Freud (or, more entertainingly, Wilhelm Reich)...
Another great text, which really repays careful study is _Security,
Territory, Population_. The opening lectures explain the distinctions among
--and relations between-- sovereignty, discipline and governmentality [which
at that time Foucault was calling "security"] better than anything I've ever
read (including secondary sources)... although it wouldn't mean very much to
the student who has not yet grasped the distinction between sovereignty and
disciplinary power. So if you're thinking of using this text, I'd
definitely have students work through _Discipline and Punish_ first.
So that's my 2¢,
Nate
Nate
On Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 7:42 AM, Todd Callais <callaist@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Colleagues,
>
> Recently, I was granted permission to teach an honors undergraduate seminar
> on Foucault's work at Denison University. I am a sociologist but I hope
> that
> the course will draw students from history, philosophy and political
> science.
>
> I am writing because I have not been able to find syllabi or course
> descriptions for any courses dedicated to the work of Michel Foucault at
> the
> graduate or undergraduate level. While the course will be my design I
> typically enjoy seeing what others have done for guidance.
>
> I was wondering whether anyone had syllabi or partial syllabi they would
> feel comfortable sharing or suggestions on places that I could look for
> graduate or undergraduate courses on Foucault. Also, if anyone has found a
> reader that they find especially helpful for relaying the work of Foucault
> to undergraduates I would appreciate that greatly as well.
>
> Because of the specific nature of this request, feel free to email me
> directly at tcallais@xxxxxxxxx .
>
> thanks in advance for any help,
>
> Todd M. Callais
> Department of Sociology and Anthropology
> Denison University
> _______________________________________________
> Foucault-L mailing list
>
--
Nathaniel Roberts
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
Columbia University
_______________________________________________
Foucault-L mailing list