Foucault, Governmentality, and Critique (Cultural Politics \u0026 the Promise of Democracy) by Thomas Lemke


Foucault, Governmentality, and Critique (Cultural Politics \u0026 the Promise of Democracy)
Title : Foucault, Governmentality, and Critique (Cultural Politics \u0026 the Promise of Democracy)
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1594516375
ISBN-10 : 9781594516375
Language : English
Format Type : Hardcover
Number of Pages : 140
Publication : First published February 1, 2011

Michel Foucault is one of the most cited authors in social science. This book discusses one of his most influential concepts: governmentality. Reconstructing its emergence in Foucault's analytics of power, the book explores the theoretical strengths the concept of governmentality offers for political analysis and critique. It highlights the intimate link between neoliberal rationalities and the problem of biopolitics including issues around genetic and reproductive technologies. This book is a useful introduction to Foucault's work on power and governmentality suitable for experts and students alike

Foucault, Governmentality, and Critique (Cultural Politics \u0026 the Promise of Democracy) Reviews

  • Nicholas

    Anyone who can critically review Foucault's idea on governmentality in 100 pages deserves a Nobel prize. Not only has Lemke consolidated a wide body of writings and interviews by Foucault to present a coherent discussion of governmentality (as the famous theorist never got to write a book about it), he did so in a highly readable way. Also valuable is his unique and critical insights about governmentality and neoliberalism, offering thoughtful ideas about why governmentality continues to be relevant, and how its poststructuralist underpinnings need not condemn it to be nihilist grounds. This book is for Foucault readers from a perceptive reader. Fascinating read.

  • Tuncer Beyribey

    A review of Foucault's studies of a good quality. Especially, the author succeeds to analyze the Foucauldian concepts "geneology of modern subject" and the "geneology of modern state and society" dealing with his studies correspondingly. The important point in here is that the author presents and discusses these concepts comparing it with his early and late studies and also with the other important French and the other contemporary continental thinkers. To do so, he presents the criticisms of Foucault's studies. The other important aspect of this book is, through chronological perspective, to analyze his important ideas with the events that affected these ideas. To summarize, it is a detailed but also easy-to-read book for those who want to get familiar with Foucault.