Up Against Foucault : Explorations of Some Tensions Between Foucault and Feminism

Up Against Foucault introduces key aspects of Foucault's work to feminists, in ways which are less abstracted than much of the existing literature in this area. It includes an introduction to Foucault's terms, and fills a gap in the literature by clarifying the links between the everyday realities of women's lives and Foucault's work on sexuality and power. The contributors explore the implications of analysing power relations, sexuality or the body, without also thinking about gender and other social divisions. They bring their expertise from social theory and philosophy to bear on the same core issues; the ways in which Foucault provokes feminists into questioning their grasp of power relations, and the implications of the absence of gender in his own work. Up Against Foucault shows that in spite of his lack of interest in gender, Foucault does have much to offer feminism - proposing new ways of understanding the control of women and especially the control of sexuality and bodies. This book offers new ground in relating Foucault's challenge to feminism to feminisms challenge to Foucault. Feminists are up against Foucault because he questions the key conclusions which feminists have come to about the nature of gender relations, and men's possession of power. It is an appraisal of how seriously we need to take this challenge.

up Against Foucault Offers Both A Feminist Critique Of Foucauldian Theories As Well As An Attempt To Reconcile These Seemingly Irreconcilable Perspectives. Feminists Are Often Up Against Foucault Because He Questions Key Conclusions In Feminism Regarding The Nature Of Gender Relations, And Men's Possession Of Power. This Book, However, Fills The Gap In Literature About Foucault By Showing How His Theories Of Sexuality And Power Relations Are Often Applicable To The Everyday Realities Of Women's Lives.

Drawing Upon Their Diverse Backgrounds In Social Theory And Philosophy, The Contributors Discuss The Ways In Which Foucault Provokes Feminists Into Questioning Their Grasp Of Power Relations, And Examines The Implications Of His Decision To Overlook Categories Of Gender In His Discussion Of Sexuality And Power Relations.

They Also Show That In Spite Of His Lack Of Interest In Gender, Foucault's Ways Of Understanding The Control Of Women And Female Sexuality Ultimately Have Much To Offer Feminism.

Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Notes on contributors......Page 8 Introduction......Page 12 Productive contradictions......Page 40 Practices of freedom......Page 62 Foucault, feminism and feeling: what Foucault can and cannot contribute to feminist epistemology......Page 84 Foucauldian feminism: contesting bodies, sexuality and identity......Page 110 Feminism, difference and discourse: the limits of discursive analysis for feminism......Page 134 Dancing with Foucault: feminism and power-knowledge......Page 158 Feminism, Foucault and the politics of the body......Page 190 Violence, power and pleasure: a revisionist reading of Foucault from the victim perspective......Page 214 Women's sexuality and men's appropriation of desire......Page 250 Name index......Page 276 Subject index......Page 278 Book Cover 1 Title 4 Contents 5 Notes on contributors 8 Introduction 12 Productive contradictions 40 Practices of freedom 62 Foucault, feminism and feeling: what Foucault can and cannot contribute to feminist epistemology 84 Foucauldian feminism: contesting bodies, sexuality and identity 110 Feminism, difference and discourse: the limits of discursive analysis for feminism 134 Dancing with Foucault: feminism and power-knowledge 158 Feminism, Foucault and the politics of the body 190 Violence, power and pleasure: a revisionist reading of Foucault from the victim perspective 214 Women's sexuality and men's appropriation of desire 250 Name index 276 Subject index 278 Social Sciences I arrived late at a women's meeting towards the end of the annual conference of the British Sociological Association a few years ago, to find some women expressing indignation at finding session after session of the conference dominated by men talking in terms of 'postmodernism'. Questions of sexuality and power were central to Foucault's writing - yet Foucault largely ignored feminism. This book considers the implications of his work for feminism - and of feminism for his work.