Michel Foucault and the historical sociology of socialism Cover Image
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Мишел Фуко и историческата социология на социализма
Michel Foucault and the historical sociology of socialism

Author(s): Momchil Hristov
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Фондация за хуманитарни и социални изследвания - София
Keywords: Michel Foucault; historical sociology; socialism; revisionist paradigm; totalitarian; political rationality

Summary/Abstract: This paper examines the relevance of Foucault’s later works to the field of historical sociology of socialism. First it deals with his refl ections on genealogy as a specifi c methodological approach, on governmentality as a form of modern political rationality, and on processes of subject formation, in order to situate Foucault’s views in the broad domain of historical sociology vis-à-vis some of its major topics such as the genesis of the modern power, state and institutions. Foucault, it is argued, brings an essential novelty in that field, by making a non-institutional analysis of power relations. Thus we are able to see the general technology of power proper to a given strategic historical situation. In the second place, the paper sketches the main points of the debate between the so called “totalitarian” and “revisionist” paradigms in the history of the socialist period in order to show the methodological advantages of the lаtter. It is precisely the multidimensionality of the “revisionist” paradigm that opens up the possibility of practicing a Foucauldian historical sociology of socialism, by broadening the notions of power and resistance exercised in the socialist societies. Finally the emphasis is put on the processes of subject formation as one of the latest developments of the Foucauldian approach towards socialism; three key studies are discussed in order to illustrate it.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 29
  • Page Range: 63-86
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Bulgarian