Mitchell Dean

How Michel Foucault, drugs, California and the rise of neoliberal politics in 1970s France are all connectedIn May 1975, Michel Foucault took LSD in the desert in southern California. He described it as the most important event of his life, one which would lead him to completely rework his History of Sexuality. His focus now would not be on power relations but on the experiments of subjectivity and the care of the self. Through this lens, he would reinterpret the social movements of May '68 and position himself politically in France in relation to the emergent anti- totalitarian and anti-welfare state currents. He would also come to appreciate the possibilities of autonomy offered by a new force on the French political scene that was neither of the Left nor the Right: neoliberalism. For this paperback edition, the authors have written an afterword responding to the debate occasioned by the book's first publication.

I de senere år er forståelsen af sundhed undergået en række forandringer. Fokus er blevet udvidet fra patienten som biomedicinsk krop til et subjekt, der oplever sundhedsproblemer og lever med dem i interaktion med det omgivende miljø. Sundhed er blevet et langt mere omfattende anliggende, der potentielt vedrører alle aspekter af vores tilværelse. Det betyder samtidig, at ideer om sundhed ikke kan dikteres af sundhedsmyndigheder og eksperter. Sundhedsfremmende tiltag må i dag tage målgruppens værdier og rationaler i betragtning, bl.a. i form af kampagner, der ikke kræver absolut overholdelse af sundhedsdoktriner, men forsøger at få folk til at afveje deres usunde vaner i forhold til sundhedsværdier. Sundhed og magt tager bestik af denne udvikling. I bogen står Michel Foucaults begreb om biopolitik centralt – et begreb, som netop sætter fokus på, at reguleringen af det biologiske liv sammenvæves med en mere omfattende ledelse af sociale og kulturelle forhold. Bogen rummer bidrag fra førende danske og internationale forskere, som anlægger perspektiver, der udfordrer traditionel sundhedsforskning, herunder genealogi, systemteori, psykoanalyse og aktør-netværk-teori. Den henvender sig til studerende og fagfolk på sundheds- og samfundsvidenskabelige uddannelser. Redigeret af Mads Peter Karlsen og Kaspar Villadsen, hhv. adjunkt og professor mso ved Copenhagen Business School.

First Published in 2004. This work places Foucault's methodologies against social theory and philosophy in order to provide a guide to social sciences, particularly historical sociology. Written to clarify Foucault's contribution for professional and non-professional readers, the text demonstrates the originality and usefulness of Foucault's work and embodies a conviction that Foucault's approaches could transform sociology into an effective, multi-focused, relevant discipline. Finally, the book illustrates that his methods provide the necessary condition for any state-of-the-art social research today, addressing his methodological position and establishing its relationship to Nietzsche, Kant, Weber, Elias, Habermas, Giddens, and the Annales and Frankfurt Schools.

State Phobia and Civil Society draws extensively upon the work of Michel Foucault to argue for the necessity of the concept of the state in political and social analysis. In so doing, it takes on not only the dominant view in the human sciences that the concept of the state is outmoded, but also the large interpretative literature on Foucault, which claims that he displaces the state for a de-centered analytics of power. Understanding Foucault means understanding all his interlocutors—whether Marxists, Maoists, neoliberals, or social democrats. It requires turning to Foucault's colleagues, including Deleuze and Guattari, François Ewald, and Blandine Kreigel, in relation to whom he carved out a position. And it entails an examination of his legacy in Hardt and Negri, the theorists of Empire, or in Nikolas Rose, the influential English sociologist. Foucault's own view is highly ambiguous: he claims to be concerned with the exercise of political sovereignty, yet his work cannot make visible the concept of the state. Moving beyond Foucault, the authors outline new ways of conceiving the state's role in establishing social order and in mediating between an inequality-producing capitalist economy and the juridical equality and political rights of individuals. Arguing that states and their cooperation remain of vital importance to resolving contemporary crises, they demonstrate the interdependence of state and civil society and the necessity of social forms of governance.

State Phobia and Civil Society draws extensively upon the work of Michel Foucault to argue for the necessity of the concept of the state in political and social analysis. In so doing, it takes on not only the dominant view in the human sciences that the concept of the state is outmoded, but also the large interpretative literature on Foucault, which claims that he displaces the state for a de-centered analytics of power. Understanding Foucault means understanding all his interlocutors—whether Marxists, Maoists, neoliberals, or social democrats. It requires turning to Foucault's colleagues, including Deleuze and Guattari, François Ewald, and Blandine Kreigel, in relation to whom he carved out a position. And it entails an examination of his legacy in Hardt and Negri, the theorists of Empire, or in Nikolas Rose, the influential English sociologist. Foucault's own view is highly ambiguous: he claims to be concerned with the exercise of political sovereignty, yet his work cannot make visible the concept of the state. Moving beyond Foucault, the authors outline new ways of conceiving the state's role in establishing social order and in mediating between an inequality-producing capitalist economy and the juridical equality and political rights of individuals. Arguing that states and their cooperation remain of vital importance to resolving contemporary crises, they demonstrate the interdependence of state and civil society and the necessity of social forms of governance.

Firts published in 1991, this book looks at how capitalism has affected the organization of the poor. It also explores what the links are between notions of poverty and notions personal responsibility, philanthropy, morality and state forms. An intruiging work for anyone interested in the foundations and long-term progression of the welfare state.

First published in 1991, This book looks at how capitalism has affected the organization of the poor. It also explores what the links are between notions of poverty and notions personal responsibility, philanthropy, morality and state forms. An intruiging work for anyone interested in the foundations and long-term progression of the welfare state.

Mitchell Deans bog er den første introduktion på dansk til begrebet governmentality. Begrebet får stadig større ankerkendelse internationalt og bruges nu inden for en lang række samfundsvidenskabelige og humanistiske fag i analyser af magt, styring og politik. Dean trækker på Michel Foucaults værker og indsætter den foucaultske analytik i et bredt teoretisk perspektiv, der gør det klart, hvordan governmentality-analyse adskiller sig fra andre strømninger i samfundsvidenskaben såsom kritisk teori og modernitetsteori. Dean viser, hvorfor governmentality-begrebet bør indtage en central plads i samfundsvidenskaben. Dean viser desuden, hvordan begrebet rummer en nyorientering i studiet af magt og styring samt forholdet mellem individ og stat.

First Published in 2004. This work places Foucault's methodologies against social theory and philosophy in order to provide a guide to social sciences, particularly historical sociology. Written to clarify Foucault's contribution for professional and non-professional readers, the text demonstrates the originality and usefulness of Foucault's work and embodies a conviction that Foucault's approaches could transform sociology into an effective, multi-focused, relevant discipline. Finally, the book illustrates that his methods provide the necessary condition for any state-of-the-art social research today, addressing his methodological position and establishing its relationship to Nietzsche, Kant, Weber, Elias, Habermas, Giddens, and the Annales and Frankfurt Schools.