Michel Foucault: Thought, Context, Critique
Philosophy 190P Senior Seminar (open to all upper-level students)
Prof. Colin Koopman, Ph.D.
Syllabus
[public access version of syllabus - authoritative syllabus is now on our course moodle.]
Instructor: Colin Koopman
Class Meetings: Stevenson 217 Thur 2:30-5:30
Prof. Office Hours: Thursdays after class, Tuesdays 2.30p-3.30p in Cowell A104, and by appointment
Prof. E-mail: cwkoopman@gmail.com
Course Moodle: www.e-socrates.org/course/view.php?id=374
Course Summary
Michel Foucault is one of the most influential philosophers of the second half of the twentieth century. Pick any section of the university library and you cannot roam far without running into numerous theoretical and exegetical books on Foucault: sociology, political science, anthropology, history, literary theory, cultural studies, queer theory, gender studies, new media theory, film studies, and of course philosophy. Given the vast reach of Foucault’s influence, it is increasingly important today to gain a solid understanding of the concepts and methods featured in his work. This course will offer a survey of almost all of Foucault’s major work. We will focus primarily on Foucault’s major published books, though we will read some of his more recently-published essays, interviews, and course lectures. We will also pay attention to key themes that have emerged in the secondary literature.
One Small Warning: the reading load for this course will be a little heavier than is usual but this is appropriate for a Spring quarter senior seminar as some of you head off to law school, graduate school, job interviews with exciting non-profits and corporations, and other environs of achievement.
First Week Readings: all students must read two short texts before our first meeting on Thur. Apr. 2 (so that we do not waste any of our precious time): Foucault’s "Polemics, Politics, and Problematization" interview with Paul Rabinow and his autobiographical piece "Foucault, Michel, 1926-". Both are available here:
Course Requirements
(Note: see hardcopy syllabus or moodle syllabus for more complete descriptions of required coursework.)
1. Participation (10%)
2. Moodle Posts (10%) - weekly moodle posts plus one week as moodle leader
3. In-Class Presentation (20%) - very short 5-10 min. secondary literature presentation.
4. Short Argumentative Essay plus Annotated Bibliography (20%) - short 3-5 page paper which you will then turn into a longer final research essay in light of my comments and in consultation with me.
5. Final Research Essay (40%) - A solid 3000-3500 word (10-12 page) paper that you will be proud of plus a short 100-150 word abstract summarizing the paper.
Required Texts
All students should buy or otherwise obtain the following two books, both of which will be available at Literary Guillotine downtown or can be ordered online for good prices if you prefer: Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison and The History of Sexuality, Volume 1: The Will to Know (aka 'An Introduction'). You could also purchase (but you need not because digital copies will be available) the following books: History of Madness (but please do not purchase the abridged translation under the title Madness and Civilization), The Order of Things, The Archaeology of Knowledge, The History of Sexuality: Volume 2: The Use of Pleasure, and the three-volume Essential Works of Michel Foucault collection. I will ask Literary Guillotine to order a few copies of these books. (If purchasing the required books poses a substantial financial hardship for you please contact me.)
Working Seminar Schedule
(Note: This is a working schedule and the authoritative and final schedule is on our course moodle)
April 2
Overview:
"Polemics, Politics, and Problematizations"
"Foucault, Michel, 1926-"
April 9
History of Madness:
History of Madness (read pp. Preface: xxvii-xxxvi; Pt I: 1-6, 44-55, 77-83, 108-9; Pt II: 163-74; Pt III: 343-62, 381-419, 463-4, 481-503, 512-6, 528-30; I am providing you with PDfs of this material as well as most other readings)
April 16
Archaeology of Knowledge:
The Order of Things (pp. ix-xxiv, 17-25, 42-4, 58-63, 217-221, 236-43, 344-8, 386-7)
The Archaeology of Knowledge (pp. 3-17, 178-95)
April 23
From Archaeology to Genealogy:
"The Discourse on Language" (inaugural lecture at the Collège de France)
"Nietzsche, Genealogy, History"
Genealogy of Prison:
Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison (pp. tba)
April 30
Genealogy of Prison:
Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison (pp. tba)
May 6
Optional Lecture by Instructor (CCS Colloquium: "Foucault and Habermas")
May 7
Genealogy of Sexuality:
The Will to Know, i.e. The History of Sexuality, Volume 1 (pp. tba)
May 14
Genealogy of Governmentality:
Security, Territory, Population: 1978 Collège de France Course Lectures (pp. tba)
The Birth of Biopolitics: 1979 Collège de France Course Lectures (pp. tba)
Problematization of Ethics:
The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality, Volume 2, "Introduction" (pp. 3-32)
Fearless Speech: 1983 UC Berkeley Lectures (pp. 169-73)
"On the Genealogy of Ethics: Overview of a Work in Progress"
May 21 --First Version of Essay Due--
Ethical Problematizations in Ancient Greece:
The Hermeneutics of The Subject: 1982 Collège de France Course Lectures (pp. tba)
The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality, Volume 2 (pp. tba)
"Self-Writing"
Ethical Problematizations Today:
"The Ethics of the Care of the Self as a Practice of Freedom"
May 28
Critics & Commentators: Readings to be selected as a result of our class discussions.
June 4 (this meeting may be rescheduled for earlier in the week)
Thought as Critique:
Foucault, "What is Enlightenment?"
Foucault, "What is Critique?"
June 8 --Final Essay Due via Email--
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