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Freedom as Critique: Foucault Beyond Anarchism
[journal article]
Abstract Foucault’s theory of power and subjectification challenges common concepts of freedom in social philosophy and expands them through the concept of ‘freedom as critique’: Freedom can be defined as the capability to critically reflect one’s own subjectification, and the conditions of possibility for t... view more
Foucault’s theory of power and subjectification challenges common concepts of freedom in social philosophy and expands them through the concept of ‘freedom as critique’: Freedom can be defined as the capability to critically reflect one’s own subjectification, and the conditions of possibility for this critical capacity lie in political and social institutions. The article develops this concept through a critical discussion of the standard response by Foucault interpreters to the stand-ard objection that Foucault’s thinking obscures freedom. The standard response interprets Fou-cault’s later works, especially The Subject and Power, as a solution to the problem of freedom. It is mistaken, because it conflates different concepts of freedom that are present in Foucault’s work. By differentiating these concepts, this paper proposes a new institutionalist approach to solve the problem of freedom that breaks with the partly anarchist underpinnings of Foucault scholarship: As freedom as critique is not given, but itself a result of subjectification, it entails a demand for ‘modal robustness’ and must therefore be institutionalized. This approach helps to draw out the consequences of Foucault's thinking on freedom for postfoundationalist democratic theory and the general social-philosophical discussion on freedom.... view less
Keywords
Foucault, M.; subjectivation; power; freedom; social philosophy; theory of democracy
Classification
Philosophy, Ethics, Religion
Free Keywords
Michel Foucault; Foucault; Power; Macht; Freedom; Freiheit; Subjectification; Subjektivierung; Critique; Kritik; Institutions; Institutionen; Political Theory; Politische Theorie; Modal Robustness; Normativity; Normativität; Freedom as Critique; Freiheit als Kritik; Democracy; Demokratie
Document language
English
Publication Year
2020
Page/Pages
p. 1-34
Journal
Philosophy & Social Criticism (2020)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/0191453720917733
ISSN
1461-734X
Status
Postprint; reviewed
Licence
Creative Commons - Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0