File spoon-archives/foucault.archive/foucault_1996/f_Jan1.96, message 8


Date: Fri, 12 Jan 1996 18:16:08 -0800
From: cwelch-AT-cln.etc.bc.ca (Colin B. Welch)
Subject: Re: juridical repressive rhetoric?


Probably Foucault's best single essay on the relationship between the 
individual and government is from the Tanner Lectures, "Omnes et 
Singulatum". This and other essays from F. and like-minded authors can be 
found in the book, Technologies of the Self. There's a wonderful phrase 
where F. notes that "what the police see to is a live, active and productive 
man. Turquet employs a very remarkable expression. He says, `The police's 
true object is man'". In this way, authority (and rhetoric) does not merely 
control, it produces.

The irony, though, is that power and self are Janus-faced.  The power which 
says "you" are an individual awakens the very reality of one's self. 
Individualism is a social construct and it is this loop that must be 
broken-or at least struggled against- if resistance will be realized. I 
suspect the circularity of this relationship disturbs many theorists!

C. Welch


>does anyone know of a place to look where foucault discusses the 
>juridical/disciplinary distinction and its implications upon discourses, 
>language, or rhetoric?  i want to argue that a contractual oppression based 
>model of rhetoric ignores both the productive nature of power and the 
>disciplinary characteristics of rhetoric.  for example, a criticism of 
>persuasion as the power of the rhetor over another sees power from purely a 
>repressive/contractual lens.  i've read  "two lectures" in power/knowledge 
>and tried to find hits in _discipline and punish_ and _history of sexuality, 
>vol 1_, but i could use some more help.  thanks.
>
>feel no harm...
>
>
>
 Colin B. Welch
 SD88
 
   CANADA  
 eMAIL: cwelch-AT-cln.etc.bc.ca   *  Phone: 1+604+
 #  #


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