Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 07:36:26 -0400
From: "D. Diane Davis" <dddavis-AT-metronet.com>
Subject: Re: feminists and foucault


Windsor Shampi Leroke wrote:

> Are feminists prepared to accept the implications of
> Foucault's critique of power and his formulation of power relations,
> of which sexuality (and to specify the gender-form of sexuality is
> irrelevant here) is a critical part?

I think, in general, there are many branches of American feminism that cannot 
accept the implications of F's descriptions of power. Nancy Hartsock certainly 
works him over for it more than once, and she's one of many. What F does in the 
History of Sexuality, vols. 1-2, I think, is go after the fabric of "sexuality" 
itself--of which the "two-sex system" is only a part. His project is much bigger 
than many American feminist projects because his view of power is so 
scattered/disseminated. "Women" are only one effect of the power structure he's 
going for.  I don't think this is an "oversight" at all but rather an insight 
that could be of enormous help to feminisms. 

ddd 
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