Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 07:04:00 -0400
From: dls216-AT-psu.edu (Dan Smith)
Subject: Re: subjectivity in a networked society


hello diane,

your thesis sounds interesting. if i understand the gist of your project, it
sounds somewhat similar to a project i just completed about a month ago.
very briefly, i used foucault's archaelogical/genealogical approach to map
how the subject position
"scholar/academic" was/is constituted in the discipline of
rhetorical studies, as well as to articulate what modes
of discipline and discursive practice were/are linked to this subject position.

i may be able to offer you some advice. however, i need you to
clarify a few things for me to help me have a better
understanding of your project.

first, what do mean when you say:

>preeminence of social morphology over social action\" (Castells, 96), 

second, could you clarify this (esp. what you mean by
subjectivity of the institution):

>...attempting to understand the subjectivity of the 
>institution, the self conscious perspective of the subject, the institution of 
>the university.

and finally, below, what is meant by centrality of subjectivity?
 
> ...how do we understand the centrality of  subjectivity to the
organisation of  
>social and political relations?

bear in mind that i am far from a foucualt expert,
and that you should try to get multiple perpectives
on how to address your problem.

cordially,
dan smith
           "One must have chaos in oneself to give
            birth to dancing star." - Nietzsche