Introduction to Cultural and Regional Studies Guided Workshop (VK) Summer 2008 Mag. Klaus Heissenberger

Discourse and power Foucault: power – knowledge – truth “… the effect of discourse is to position us in relation to a variety of social forces. It subjects us.” (reader p.24, Campbell + Kean) > power: “dominant” discourses > “hegemonic” meanings, values, etc. “hegemony”: Antonio Gramsci ( )

Discourse and power “… the effect of discourse is to position us in relation to a variety of social forces. It subjects us.” (reader p.24, Campbell + Kean) Foucault: theorizing the “Panopticon”--see reader identity?

Discourse and power “… the effect of discourse is to position us in relation to a variety of social forces. It subjects us.” (reader p.24, Campbell + Kean) Foucault: theorizing the “Panopticon”--see reader identity = production + ‘site’ of power Foucault: power is not the same as ‘force’

Identity and/as power the “subject” and “agency”: Enlightenment sociological postmodern subject historical developments: “modernity” = ? “late modernity” / “postmodernity”

Identity and/as power unifiedstablewhole secure coherent coreessencecompleted vs. “…as the systems of meaning and cultural representation multiply, we are confronted by a bewildering, fleeting multiplicity of possible identities, any one of which we could identify with—at least temporarily.” (reader p.30)

Identity and/as power “… the effect of discourse is to position us in relation to a variety of social forces. It subjects us.” (reader p.24, Campbell + Kean) relevant differences—relevant “subject positions”: class gender sexuality/sexual orientation race and ethnicity age etc.

Identity and/as power “ideology” + “interpellation” of the “subject,” “recruiting” the “subject”: Louis Althusser ( ) relevant differences—relevant “subject positions”: class gender sexuality/sexual orientation race and ethnicity age etc.