Power and Resistance Part four of Foucault’s History of Sexuality begins with a discussion and definition of power. Foucault argues that through most of Western history since the medieval period, power has been equivalent to what has been codified into law. In political thought and analysis, he argues, we still have not “cut the head […]
Power and Problematic Sexualities Foucault finally started to make sense to me with The Deployment of Sexuality. Maybe it’s because Part 4 is much more linear, but I am just relieved to feel a little less lost. In his “Method” section, Foucault effectively dispels the rest of the ideas I had about power in relation […]
Regarding the deployment of sexuality, Foucault discusses four strategies that, beginning in the 18th century, were used to distinguish the working relationship of knowledge and power of sex. The very first, the “hysterization of women’s bodies”, focuses on the woman and how mentally and physically she became a symbol of the scientia sexualis of the […]
The third of Foucault “strategic unities” (103) for knowledge and power over and about sex is “a socialization of procreative behavior” (104) for partners in relationships. The socialization is, in essence, all the factors “brought to bear on the fertility of couples” (104-105). This is a discussion worth bringing into the present, and into present […]
Why is power innate but sex not? Part 5 of Foucault’s History of Sexuality focuses on different power structures, namely, how there was a shift from power from blood (in purity and spillage) to sex. I was relieved, first of all, when he finally acknowledged the sex act itself; that sex is a social construct […]
Re: Weeks, Norton, Sex Museum, R.L.G.B., Thunder Cats, Foucault, Mad Men and more fun items Just a little bit more on Essentialism and Constructionist Theory Questions to be answered: Is indentifying one’s sexual orientation considered knowledge? Or is it a matter of the senses? Example: Can you know that you like women or men, before […]
Depressing to Optimistic Parts Four and Five of Foucault’s The History of Sexuality were quite an emotional rollercoaster. Foucault beings by discussing the “juridico-discursive” idea of power, and then criticizing it and explaining his own theory of power – though I found both ideas quite depressing. Foucault claims that the “juridico-discursive” idea of power underlies […]
“Keep away from whores and all loose women. KEEP AWAY FROM WHORES!” said a pamphlet given out to soldiers during World War I. This pamphlet was ancillary to a pro-kit that was also distributed in order to prevent further outbreaks of venereal diseases. It contained a tube of ointment, a cloth with soap, a cleansing […]
A Note on History As a potential history major, I loved the definition of history in Peiss’ preface, which ended with “History is the relationship between the present and the past. Thus the history of sexuality also illuminates ourselves and contributes a significant perspective to contemporary debates about sexual matters” (xvii).
Obsession for Confession We discussed confessions in class today — at churches, in therapy, and even on Facebook. PostSecret is another form of confession: People send in their secrets on postcards to a specified address, and the founder of PostSecret, Frank Warren, posts select ones online. He has also published several books of postcards secrets.
