This thesis has two main objectives. First, it accomplishes a detailed critical reading of Michel Foucault’s writings on the archaeology of knowledge, focusing on the emergence of political economy. Second, it explores some possibilities opened up by his work for a rethinking of the historiography and methodology of economics. The first results from the fact that there have been very few assessments of his archaeology of economics, not only in economics itself, but also in the fields of philosophy and history of thought in general. Although it may be possible to find some applications in economics of notions and concepts introduced by him, this has mostly been done without a detailed critical analysis of his writings. Thus, it is considered here that it is first necessary to go back to his writings and to develop a very careful reading of them in order to be able to explore them in a second stage. As for the second, the main argument is that his archaeology has important contributions that are still missing by economists. The study is developed in two parts. The first part is dedicated to a meticulous reading of the The Archaeology of Knowledge and The Order of Things, ending up with an assessment. Part II develops an analysis of his contributions in three areas of research in economics: methodology of economics, historiography of economic thought, and studies on Adam Smith’s context. This analysis is considered itself an important contribution of this thesis. Chapter 3 situates Foucault’s perspective and system among other current interests in economic methodology, comprising basically three parts. First, it identifies one common fundamental question underlying some of these interests, that is, whether there is an underlying configuration in knowledge that permits us to think what we think in economics in a certain moment in time and space. It is argued that Foucault’s archaeology makes important contributions to this strand. Second, it compares his approach to the current interest in rhetorical studies in economics. Third, it gives special attention to the historiography of economic thought through the investigation of the interplay between the notion of the ‘episteme’ and the Kuhnian concept of ‘paradigm’. Chapter 4 explores and assesses his archaeology of political economy in The Order of Things and briefly indicates some of the important ideas provided by him in his lectures at the Collège de France in 1978-79, which give some hints for the possibility of investigating the current epistemic context underlying economics. The last chapter concentrates on Smith’s writings on language and rhetoric, the methodological conception underlying his writings, and the notion of invisible hand, according to Foucault’s system. This latter essentially shows the potentiality for his system to improve the level of consciousness of our past and emphasizes that it opens up a series of possibilities of further and interesting inquiries. The thesis concludes with an appraisal of Foucault’s contribution and additional issues for further enquiry.

Quel est le rôle d'une discipline comme la science politique? Comment en faire l'histoire? Cette recherche, en partant de ces deux questions, se donne pour objectif d'édifier un portrait historique de la science politique québécoise francophone. Parmi les diverses perspectives historiques possibles, nous nous sommes arrêté sur la généalogie des savoirs du philosophe et historien Michel Foucault. Plus précisément c'est avec la méthode aléthurgique, mise au point dans son dernier cours au Collège de France, que nous proposons de comprendre l'expérience politologique québécoise. Nous dégageons trois différents « régimes aléthiques » (régime du dire-vrai) qui ont traversé la discipline depuis ses débuts. Ces régimes sont la combinaison de pratiques discursives et d'êthos, qui dans leur dynamique, constituent une relation savoir/pouvoir particulière. Ainsi, un chapitre sera consacré aux premiers pas de la science politique québécoise qui, fortement influencée par la pensée catholique de l'époque, se constitue en politikè epistémè. Un autre chapitre tâchera de démontrer comment ce savoir s'est « disciplinarisé » selon des critères de modernité et de progrès technologique pour constituer une politikè tekhnê. Enfin, nous nous efforcerons de présenter dans un dernier chapitre, la scienza politika, c'est-à-dire, une science politique désirant s'affranchir de ses cadres institutionnels par une éthique de l'engagement. Ces régimes forment ce que nous appelons un triptyque discursif. Mais tout d'abord, dans un premier chapitre, nous présenterons l'orientation théorique et les avenues qui nous ont amenés à choisir cette perspective. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Michel Foucault, généalogie, alèthurgie, régime aléthique, science politique québécoise francophone.

L'un des constats fondamentaux qui se dégage de l'œuvre de Michel Foucault est celui d'une inscription moderne du biologique dans le politique. Ce constat marque ainsi l'ouverture d'une perspective biopolitique, qui propose une analyse transversale reliant les rapports de pouvoir, les modes d'objectivation du savoir, ainsi que les modes de production du sujet moderne. Dans le cadre de ce mémoire, nous tenterons de cerner la pertinence actuelle de l'approche biopolitique comme outil pour une analyse sociologique critique des sociétés libérales contemporaines. Pour ce faire, nous proposerons une analyse synthétique et comparative des travaux de trois auteurs, qui incarnent chacun un moment-clé dans la problématisation de la biopolitique : Michel Foucault pour son articulation initiale à travers une analyse positive et relationnelle des techniques de pouvoir sur l'individu et la population, Nikolas Rose pour son actualisation sociologique des thèses de Foucault dans le champ contemporain de la santé, ainsi que Giorgio Agamben pour sa réarticulation théorique de la perspective biopolitique avec celle du pouvoir souverain. Nous proposerons donc une synthèse critique des différentes notions et conceptions qui se dégagent du corpus de chaque auteur, en les confrontant entre elles ainsi qu'à des objets sociologiques contemporains qui ont trait à l'encadrement de la vie humaine, prise à la fois comme sociale et biologique. Nous dégagerons ainsi le mode particulier de problématisation de la vie qui se dégage des textes de chacun de nos auteurs, dans le but d'interpréter leur signification en regard des mutations politiques de la modernité. Finalement, nous soulignerons la portée et les limites de leurs analyses respectives afin de faire émerger les caractéristiques d'un « gouvernement de la vie » dans les sociétés libérales contemporaines. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : assujettissement, biopolitique, biopouvoir, Giorgio Agamben, gouvernementalité, Michel Foucault, médecine, modernité, Nikolas Rose, norme, politique, population, pouvoir, santé, savoir, société libérale, souveraineté, subjectivation, sujet.

<p>As a consequence of positioning women within the dominant gender role of motherhood, the inability to have a child has exposed women, and more notably women in Africa, to extreme social consequences that often violate their human rights and lead to socio-economic disempowerment. The aim of this study was to consider prevailing discursive construction that position women within dominant ideologies that engender motherhood for women, and to explore how women make sense of and construct meaning regarding their experience when they desire but are not able to have a child.</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-12-11Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:10:01Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 berto_df_me_mar.pdf: 20537814 bytes, checksum: 3234fe10872eac462ff35d2fd5d6f396 (MD5) / Sob a perspectiva teórico-metodológica de Michel Foucault, e propondo-nos a estabelecer um diálogo com outros discursos educacionais, o presente estudo teve por finalidade propor a discussão da instituição escolar e as relações de poder inerente em suas práticas, não somente enquanto espaço de transmissão de conhecimento, mas, sobretudo como meio de disciplinamento e de subjetivação dos indivíduos. Tomamos por base a análise do cotidiano da escola fundamental e municipal EMEF Prof. Olímpio Cruz da cidade de Marília – SP, com o cuidado de compreendê-la a partir de sua inserção na história do, cujos objetivos foram mais políticos do que educacionais. Nosso objetivo foi elucidar as práticas pedagógicas, procurando percebê-las enquanto instrumentos para a produção de uma subjetividade dos sujeitos escolares e uma tecnologia do eu, e pudemos discutir as relações existentes neste processo de subjetivação e o disciplinamento dos corpos dos educandos para se pensar o problema do papel que a instituição escolar ocupa, os discursos que produz e como ocorre a formação do sujeito em seu interior, em uma sociedade em constante transformação. / Under the theoritical and methodoligical Michel Foucault’s perspective, with a proposal to set up a dialogue with others educationals speechs, the present study had by fim to propose the discussion of the school institution and the power’s connexions intrinsical in its practices, not only while place of knowledge’s transmission, but, above all, like way of discipline ando f individual’s subjetive. We take by base the analysis of the day by day of school “Prof. Olímpio Cruz” form the city of Marília – SP, with the care to understand it from its insertion in the city’s history, with objectives more politicians than educationals. Our objective was to disclose the eductionals practices, trying to perceive them while instruments to the production of a subjective school’s fellows and a technology of “Y”.We would to discuss the connepctions that exist in this sbjectives’ process and the discipline of the student’s bodies to think the problem of the part that school institution dedicate oneself to, the speechs that produce and how happer the ofrmation of the subject inside it, in a society in constant transformation.

O presente trabalho pretende dissertar sobre a temática da escrita da história em geral e, em particular, sobre a maneira como um texto de história organiza, na unidade de uma narrativa, a pluralidade de uma experiência de tempo. Para tanto, a ênfase é colocada sobre a tarefa de conceituação na historiografia, especialmente na utilização do conceito de experiência histórica como articulador do tempo da ação humana e como organizador da narrativa historiográfica. Um diálogo é estabelecido entre os trabalhos de Paul Ricoeur, e sua compreensão poética da narrativa historiográfica, e de Reinhardt Koselleck, com sua concepção plural de tempo histórico. Analisam-se duas obras em particular, A formação da classe operária inglesa, de Edward Palmer Thompson, e História da sexualidade II: o uso dos prazeres, de Michel Foucault, nas quais o conceito em questão e utilizado. Além disso, esta dissertação procura delimitar precisamente um possível campo de atuação para a teoria da história, como uma análise tomando o texto como paradigma e a hermenêutica do discurso como modelo analítico. / The present work aims to discuss the general theme of the writing of history, and, in particular, the way an historical text organizes, in the unit of a narrative, the plurality of a temporal experience. For so, the emphasis is put on the task of conceptualization on historiography, especially on the utilization of the concept of historical experience as a temporal articulator of the human action, and as an organizer of the historiographical narrative. A dialogue is established between Paul Ricoeur, and his poetical comprehension of the historiographical narrative, and Reinhardt Koselleck, with his plural conception of historical time. Two works are analysed: The making of the English working class, by E. P. Thompson, and The history of sexuality II: the usage of pleasures, by Michel Foucault. Besides, this dissertation aspires to delimit precisely a possible theory of history, taking the text as a paradigm of analysis, and the hermeneutics of discourse as an analytical model.

Gonçalo M. Tavares é um nome de destaque da literatura escrita em Língua Portuguesa no século XXI. Reconhecido pela crítica literária pela variedade e qualidade de seus textos, tem como um dos elementos mais relevantes em sua ficção o caráter filosófico com que analisa o indivíduo e a sociedade. O centro deste trabalho é O Reino, uma tetralogia composta por Um Homem: Klaus Klump, A Máquina de Joseph Walser, Jerusalém e Aprender a Rezar na Era da Técnica. São obras marcadas pelo peso da guerra, que, mais do que um fato histórico, representam um contexto político e social de estagnação e revelador das assombrações do lado mais obscuro da humanidade. A série propõe um constante estranhamento causado pela oscilação entre júbilo e desgosto num cenário cruel e hostil, questionando os possíveis limites entre sofrimento e sobrevivência, civilização e barbárie, físico e psíquico, científico e espiritual, racional e emocional, moral e amoral, forte e fraco, homem e mulher, eu e outro, bem e mal. Na tentativa de compreender esse universo caótico, o aporte teórico retoma conceitos de Freud, Nietzsche e Foucault, pois o que aproxima esses “titãs” é a incansável busca pela profundidade da compreensão, que passa pela linguagem, que nunca é neutra. A escolha para esta abordagem crítica foi baseada nas “pistas” deixadas pelo próprio Tavares em outras de suas obras. Esses pensadores, assim como Gonçalo Tavares, buscaram refletir sobre a natureza humana e inauguraram uma forma de percepção filosófica ou sociológica do componente mais agressivo dos indivíduos. Por esse motivo, analisar a série tavariana, a partir dessa linha filosófica e social, contribui para o entendimento da pretensa racionalidade que tenta esconder uma animalidade oculta. Dessa forma, a atual pesquisa centra-se no debate sobre esta “multiplicidade humana”, que, conforme as ações das personagens evidenciam, abrange a construção de uma individualidade e a idealização de uma coletividade, a qual parece não se efetivar, uma vez que as relações entre “eu” e “outro” estão marcadas constantemente pelo egoísmo, pela dominação e pela divergência. / Gonçalo M. Tavares es un nombre destacado de la literatura escrita en portugués en pleno siglo XXI. Reconocido por la crítica literaria por la variedad y calidad de sus textos, tiene como uno de los elementos más relevantes en su ficción el carácter filosófico con que analiza el individuo y la sociedad. El centro de este trabajo es El Reino, una tetralogía compuesta por Un hombre Klaus Klump, La máquina de Joseph Walser, Jerusalén y Aprender a Rezar en la Era de la Técnica. Son obras marcadas por el peso de la guerra, que, más que un hecho histórico, representa un contexto político y social de estancamiento y revelador de las asombraciones del lado más oscuro de la humanidad. La serie propone un constante extrañamiento causado por la oscilación entre júbilo y disgusto en un escenario cruel y hostil, cuestionando los posibles límites entre sufrimiento y supervivencia, civilización y barbarie, físico y psíquico, científico y espiritual, racional y emocional, moral y amoral, fuerte y fuerte, débil, hombre y mujer, yo y otro, bien y mal. En el intento de comprender este universo caótico, el aporte teórico retoma conceptos de Freud, Nietzsche y Foucault, pues lo que acerca a esos "titanes" es la incansable búsqueda por la profundidad de la comprensión, que pasa por el lenguaje, que nunca es neutro. La elección para este enfoque crítico fue basada en las "pistas" dejadas por el propio Tavares en otras de sus obras. Estos pensadores, así como Gonçalo Tavares, buscaron reflexionar sobre la naturaleza humana e inauguraron una forma de percepción filosófica o sociológica del componente más agresivo de los individuos. Por este motivo, analizar la serie tavariana, a partir de este línea filosófica y social, contribuye al entendimiento de la pretendida racionalidad que intenta ocultar una animalidad oculta. De esta forma, la actual investigación se centra en el debate sobre esta "multiplicidad humana", que, según las acciones de los personajes evidencian, abarca la construcción de una individualidad y la idealización de una colectividad, la cual parece no realizarse, una vez que las relaciones entre "yo" y "otro" están marcadas constantemente por el egoísmo, la dominación y la divergencia.

This study was developed around concerns about how indigenous knowledges have been represented and applied in environment and development education. The first phase of the study is a genealogical analysis after Michel Foucault. This probes representations and applications of plant-based indigenous knowledge in selected anthropological, botanical and environmental education texts in southern Africa. The emerging insights were deepened using a Social (Critical) Realism vantage point after Margaret Archer to shed light on agential issues in environmental education and development contexts. Here her morphogenetic/morphostatic analysis of social transformation or reproduction is used to trace changes in indigenous knowledge representations and applications over time (from the pre-colonial into the post-colonial era). The second phase uses the same perspectives and tools to extend the analysis of power/knowledge relationships into the interface of indigenous communities and modern institutions in two case study settings in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This study reveals colonially-derived hegemonic processes of modern/Western scientific institutional representations/interpretations of the knowledges of indigenous communities. It also tracks a continuing trajectory of their dominating and prescriptive mediating control over local knowledges from the pre-colonial context through into the post-colonial period in southern Africa. The analysis reveals how this hegemony is sustained through the deployment of institutional strategies of representation that transform local knowledges into the disciplinary knowledge discourses of modern scientific institutions. These representational strategies therefore generate/reproduce and validate disciplinary discourses about the other, constructing disciplinary 'regimes of truth'. In this way modern institutions appropriate and displace indigenous/local knowledges, silence the voices of local communities and regulate individual and community agency within a continuing subjugation of indigenous knowledges. This study reveals how working within modern institutions and disciplinary knowledges in participative education and development interactions can serve to implicate indigenous researchers in these institutional hegemonic processes. The study also notes evidence of a continued resistance to hegemonic Western knowledge discourses as indigenous communities have sustained many knowledge practices alongside Western knowledge discourses. There is also evidence of a recent emergence of counter-hegemonic indigenous knowledge discourses in environmental education and development practices in southern Africa. It is noted that these have been contingent upon the changing political terrain in southern Africa as this has opened the way for alternative discourses to the dominant conventional Western knowledges in formal education and development contexts. The counterhegemonic discourses invert power/knowledge relations, decentre hegemonic discourses and reposition indigenous knowledges in formal education and development contexts. This study suggests the need to foreground indigenous knowledges as a process of knowledge decolonisation that gives contextual and epistemic relevance to environmental education and development processes. This calls for a need for new strategies to transform existing institutions by creating enabling spaces for the representational inclusion of indigenous knowledges in formal/conventional knowledge discourses and their application in social contexts. This opens up possibilities for plural knowledge representations and for their integrative and reciprocal co-engagement in situated contexts of environmental education and development in southern Africa.

This thesis seeks to explore how young, educated and seemingly liberated women construct their identities and make sense of their futures around their heterosexual relationships. Using the experiences of eight women participants engaged in long-term heterosexual relationships, combined with relevant secondary literature, issues of sexuality, identity, power and intimacy are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the implications of their identity construction and how they 'perform' their roles as women in society. How their sexual stories reflect their positioning in society is premised by the phrase, 'the personal is political' . Through analysis of the participants' experiences mixed with theoretical arguments, this thesis finds that young women are apparently sexually, economically and intellectually liberated but locked into discourses that provide highly unequal, limiting, disempowering and oppressive understandings of masculinity, femininity and sexuality. They live and experience a reality which is far from liberated.

This thesis defends an ontological and epistemological account of Michel Foucault's post-structuralist philosophy, to argue that political philosophy needs to take into account the historical and political contingency of subjectivity and discourse. I show that by addressing the historical and political contingency of knowledge, Foucault's work overcomes the flaw of foundational epistemology in political philosophy, which treats true discourse as universal and disinterested. In doing so I hope to have to refuted the mainly positivistic and humanist schools of thought that lay claim to universal and foundationalist notions, by demonstrating the extent to which their misgivings about Foucault's work are informed by and founded upon an unjustified a-historicism. The thesis is composed of three chapters, the first of which deals with an ontology of the subject, the second, with an ontology of social relations, and the last with epistemology. In each chapter I use dialectical analysis to reveal how interests necessarily mediate subjectivity, social relations, and knowledge. The first two chapters defend Foucault's conception of power, by way of an analysis of the relations between Foucault's work and Sartre's existential phenomenology. I show how both Foucault and Sartre successfully address the problem of historicism for political philosophy with their respective conceptions of human freedom. The final chapter defends Foucault's conception of the relations between power and discourse, to show how it overcomes the a-historicism of universal, foundational epistemology. These three chapters demonstrate the importance of accounting for historicism in political philosophy. Claims to universal interest, because knowledge is conditioned by conflicts of interest, often mask political domination. It is important, then, to remember, in political philosophy, that knowledge is evaluative and interested, reflecting historically and politically mediated evaluations. One should be suspicious of ' natural facts' , used to justify actions or beliefs, thereby masking the choices that inform them. I have used the work of Michel Foucault to motivate this claim.