Decapitating Power

In “Society Must Be Defended” Foucault examines 17th century race war discourse not so much in order to understand 20th century racism or concepts of race but primarily because it constitutes an historical example of an attempt to think power without a head or king. This essay examines his account o...

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Main Author: Ladelle McWhorter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: CBS Open Journals 2011-09-01
Series:Foucault Studies
Online Access:https://192.168.7.24:443/index.php/foucault-studies/article/view/3333
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author Ladelle McWhorter
author_facet Ladelle McWhorter
author_sort Ladelle McWhorter
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description In “Society Must Be Defended” Foucault examines 17th century race war discourse not so much in order to understand 20th century racism or concepts of race but primarily because it constitutes an historical example of an attempt to think power without a head or king. This essay examines his account of race war discourse and the sources he used to construct it. It then takes issue with his claim that early race war discourse can be separated from 18th and 19th century racisms. Finally, it returns to the question of power and argues that the effect of the 1976 lecture series was to dislodge the sovereign model of power but also the model of power as war.
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spelling doaj.art-c0e2141361db4c108565c55cfd08c9b72024-03-02T06:21:08ZengCBS Open JournalsFoucault Studies1832-52032011-09-011210.22439/fs.v0i12.3333Decapitating PowerLadelle McWhorter0University of RichmondIn “Society Must Be Defended” Foucault examines 17th century race war discourse not so much in order to understand 20th century racism or concepts of race but primarily because it constitutes an historical example of an attempt to think power without a head or king. This essay examines his account of race war discourse and the sources he used to construct it. It then takes issue with his claim that early race war discourse can be separated from 18th and 19th century racisms. Finally, it returns to the question of power and argues that the effect of the 1976 lecture series was to dislodge the sovereign model of power but also the model of power as war.https://192.168.7.24:443/index.php/foucault-studies/article/view/3333
spellingShingle Ladelle McWhorter
Decapitating Power
Foucault Studies
title Decapitating Power
title_full Decapitating Power
title_fullStr Decapitating Power
title_full_unstemmed Decapitating Power
title_short Decapitating Power
title_sort decapitating power
url https://192.168.7.24:443/index.php/foucault-studies/article/view/3333
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