Foucault and Political Reason: Liberalism, Neo-liberalism, and Rationalities of Government

Jacket Description/Back: These twelve essays provide a critical introduction to Foucault's work on politics, exploring its relevance to past and current thinking about liberal and neo-liberal forms of government. Moving away from the great texts of liberal political philosophy, this book looks closely at the technical means with which the ideals of liberal political rationalities have been put into practice in such areas as schools, welfare, the insurance industry, and the self-esteem movement in California. Table of Contents: AcknowledgementsList of contributorsIntroductionAndrew Barry, Thomas Osborne, Nikolas Rose.1: Liberal government and techniques of the selfGraham Burchell2: Governing "advanced" liberal democraciesNikolas Rose3: Liberalism, socialism and democracy: variations on a governmental themeBarry Hindess4: The promise of liberalism and the performance of freedomVikki Bell5: Security and vitality: drains, liberalism and power in the nineteenth centuryThomas Osborne6: Lines of communication and spaces of ruleAndrew Barry7: Assembling the schoolIan Hunter8: Governing the city: liberalism and early modern modes of governanceAlan Hunt9: Risk and responsibilityPat O'Malley10: Foucault, government and the enfolding of authorityMitchell Dean11: Revolutions within: self-government and self-esteemBarbara Cruikshank12: Foucault in BritainColin GordonIndexMarc Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Publisher Marketing: Despite the enormous influence of Michel Foucault in gender studies, social theory, and cultural studies, his work has been relatively neglected in the study of politics. Although he never published a book on the state, in the late 1970s Foucault examined the technologies of power used to regulate society and the ingenious recasting of power and agency that he saw as both consequence and condition of their operation. These twelve essays provide a critical introduction to Foucault's work on politics, exploring its relevance to past and current thinking about liberal and neo-liberal forms of government. Moving away from the great texts of liberal political philosophy, this book looks closely at the technical means with which the ideals of liberal political rationalities have been put into practice in such areas as schools, welfare, and the insurance industry. This fresh approach to one of the seminal thinkers of the twentieth century is essential reading for anyone interested in social and cultural theory, sociology, and politics. Publisher Marketing: Despite the enormous influence of Michel Foucault in gender studies, social theory, and cultural studies, his work has been relatively neglected in the study of politics. Although he never published a book on the state, in the late 1970s Foucault examined the technologies of power used to regulate society and the ingenious recasting of power and agency that he saw as both consequence and condition of their operation.

Contributor Bio:  Barry, Andrew Barry is lecturer in sociology at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He has published widely on technology, politics, and social theory. Contributor Bio:  Osborne, Thomas Thomas Osborne came as a teen in the 1870s from the United States to homestead with his father in Ontario's Muskoka. After five dramatic years he returned to the United States to live and work in Pennsylvania and New York. In 1938 he was killed by an automobile in San Diego, California. Contributor Bio:  Rose, Nikolas Nikolas Rose is James Martin White Professor of Sociology and Director of the BIOS Centre for the Study of Bioscience, Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Society at the London School of Economics and Political Science. His books include "The Psychological Complex, Governing the Soul, Inventing Our Selves," and "Powers of Freedom: Reframing Political Thought."