Sex and Power
If sex is merely a societal construct, as French philosopher Michel Foucault claims, then it would follow that sex would be viewed differently in separate cultures with their distinct social formations. By that logic, sex would be viewed in one light in France, and in another in Italy. However, Foucault presents his reasoning on the perception of sex in society in general, not just in the way he views it in his own social relations. Foucault’s generalized view of sexuality is evident in the wording of the title of his book, The History of Sexuality, which assumes that there is simply one history.
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February 13th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Hi Ariella,
Take another look at the distinctions that Foucault makes between the kinds of power relations in the system of alliance and the deployment of sexuality to see where the act of rape would be understood according to that distinction. This is brief but we will talk about this at length in class.