Foucault's Thought, Of Power

This thesis discusses a series of Foucault's works in the 1970's when he applied the genealogical methods to the analysis of power, and sums up the main contents of Foucault's works during this period, including the Order of Discourse, Discipline and Punish, the first volume of the History of Sexuality: the Will to Knowledge, the Eyes of Power, and Society Must Be Defended. Based on this, the thesis reviews Foucault's inimitable conception of power.This thesis has three chapters: the first chapter lays stress on Foucault's viewpoint of analyzing problems. The second chapter focuses on the operating mechanism of power by combining power with concrete problems. The third chapter mostly analyzes the definition of power, the basic strategy of power, and the limitations of Foucault's conception of power.The first chapter starts with the conversion of Foucault's methods from archeology to genealogy, and then points out that the emphases of Foucault's analysis are power analysis, the mechanism of power-body, and the mechanism of power- knowledge.The second chapter combines power with concrete historical events, and analyzes a number of subjects, such as the external regulations of controlling discourse and the revolt against discourse, the causes of the importance of prison in the system of discipline and the operation of disciplinary power. This chapter also reviews Foucault's criticism on the doctrine of sex-oppression and the analysis of the science of sex as a mode of power-knowledge.The third chapter is a generalization of the whole thesis, and also a review of Foucault's conception of power. This chapter also tries to evaluate Foucault's conception of power, pointing out the significance and the deficiency of Foucault's standpoint.In the end, this thesis points out the historical value of Foucault's conception of power and its influence on theoretical circle: he offers new opportunities to philosophers, pushes thinking to its margin and ponders upon the limit of thought. Foucault will be remembered for his outstanding contribution in the field of thought of mankind.