Subject: Re: Resistance
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 22:31:43 +0200


I would say resistance is one of Foucault's central concerns, if not the
central concern. I know I've mentioned it before so apologies for the
repetition, but a great piece is included in James Schmidt's (editor)
collection of essays under the title "What Is Enlightenment: 18th Century
Answers and Twentieth Century Questions" or something like that. See F's
essay there, titled I believe 'What is critique?'

There was a lively debate on this list a few years ago about Foucualt's
'Transgression' essay, which discusses the matter of resistance more
abstractly but also quite suggestively. (Not everyone thought that
discussion was illuminating, however. If interested, please see archives,
though nothing there is academically certified, schade.)

Members of this list are certainly aware of the "Subject and Power" essay --
but indeed it is difficult for me to think of a text or interview by
Foucault that was not interested in resistance. He was trying to make things
visible that were otherwise off the radar and could not be tracked by
traditional conceptions of the working of power, critical or otherwise. In
Discipline and Punish one could speculate that F's desire to trace out the
shadows of modern forms of power sometimes produced the impression that
things were very dark and that resistance could not survive in such a
climate, but at the end of the day I don't see DP as a rejection of the
possibility of resistance but rather as an attempt to bring to light certain
strategic and tactical moves, unawareness of which hobbles resistance
itself.

- John

----- Original Message -----
From: Dan Smith <dls216-AT-psu.edu>
To: <foucault-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 1999 9:57 PM
Subject: Re: Resistance


> if i may, i'd like to follow up heidi's
> request with one of my own. could you post
> your recommendations to the list? i'm sure many
> people, including myself would like to add them
> to their "foucault index" under resistance.
>
> thanx,
> dan s.
>
> >
> >hello all - am wondering if anyone can point me to the
> >articles/texts/interviews where foucault addresses the notion of
> >resistance (i can only find two very short passages). any suggestions on
> >other literature examining Foucault's use and/or paucity of theorizing
> >'resistance'?
> >
> >any/all help greatly appreciated!
> >
> >thanks,
> >heidi
> >
> >
> >
> >
>            "One must have chaos in oneself to give
>             birth to a dancing star." - Nietzsche
>