Foucault Reading Questions
1) What is the repressive hypothesis? How does Foucault’s take on sex differ from it?
The repressive hypothesis according to Foucault is the repression of sexual discourse within the Victorian Era. Sexuality moved its way into the home and was treated as a taboo in society. It was “an affirmation for nonexistence, and an admission that there was nothing to say about such things, nothing to see, and nothing to know.” (10) Foucault’s take on sex differs from this hypothesis by asserting that although sexual discourse was repressed in most settings, it in flourished in others and moved to alternative settings, one being the confessional.
2) Explain Foucault’s conception of power. What is distinctive about it? Provide a couple of examples of how power is utilized in the text. What is the regime of power-knowledge-pleasure?
Foucault’s conception of power, works upon the notion of knowledge, and repression. It wasn’t until the rise of the bourgeoisie society that sex, and sexuality became something that was to not be discussed; the discourse on the subject was tightened and this ultimately left sex to be discussed in only a few situations. Those who decided that discourse on sex was to be repressed were ultimately the ones who held the power, as well as knowledge. Foucault mentions that the one place discourse on sex was carried out was through the confessional; a structure that gave the listener power, and considered the speaker as a subject. Rather than keeping sex repressed, this ultimately increased the discourse on sex, as well as the realm that the discussion covered, as this made people even more aware of their sexual desires and actions. The person confessing was expected to confess any and all sexual thoughts, ultimately making them think about sex even more.
The regime of power-knowledge-pleasure works upon the fact that those who have knowledge hold the power (they go hand-in-hand) and the notion of pleasure is controlled by how one talks about pleasure, which in this case isn’t often. So the power is controlled by knowledge about pleasure…I think.
3) Explain how Foucault uses the term ‘discourse’.
The term discourse traditionally means discussion, but Foucault’s concept of discourse works upon the idea of knowledge and power. As those who participate in discourse, or have conversation, create knowledge, and control what is to be said/not to be said, they are ultimately able to hold the power over the larger population. Discourse relates directly to Foucault’s conception of power.
4) Explain the power of the confessional according to Foucault and its relationship to the West.
To Foucault, the confessional is a powerful tool imposed upon individuals, which has become increasingly popular as time has passed. Traditionally, the confessional was used strictly within the context of religion, but throughout the west, the confessional has been placed on individuals as a tool of liberation, but is not limited to religious matters. Foucault mentions that other forms of the confessional are with the medical system (doctor and patient), the criminal justice system, and mental health system (generally psychiatry). He claims that the confessional is successful at repressing individuals and ultimately requiring them to force their sins, specifically in this context sins concerning sexuality. The idea of the confessional is that it is liberating, and relieving the subject of their wrongdoings, but in reality it is just a form of agency. Also notable, is the idea that the fact that one must confess their every sexual desire and action, sexuality is inherently a bad thing that one must relieve themselves of; further repressing sexuality as a whole.
5) What is Foucault’s geneaological method?
Foucault uses the concept of the genealogical method to reinforce the history of sexuality and the way it’s chronicled through discourse. Similar to the concept of genealogy within the family mechanism, Foucault traces the journey of sexuality from it’s origin to the current conception, and mentions that before the 1800’s, there was no such thing as sexuality, or even discourse on sexuality. The discourse on sexuality originated as being open and discussed freely, but swiftly took a turn towards being repressed and something to be shameful of with the rise of the bourgeoisie society. Although this may seem like society has progressed, Foucault stresses that it has not; as power has acted upon us to repress our discourse on sex, we have ultimately been reinforcing the power and pushing directly back on it, ultimately helping it stay in control.
6) Explain how Foucault conceptualizes the creation of the subject and how sex and sexuality are social constructions.
Foucault details that sex and sexuality are constructions of society that work within a multiplicity of ways that concern power. He stresses that essentially everything within society is simply a construct or result of power. Our conception of sex is built upon the idea that discourse determines sexuality, ultimately suggesting that sexuality is a construct of power. The idea of the subject has been constructed through the structure of the confessional, specifically within the West, which puts the individual who must confess their every sin to people of authority, leaving them in the position of being subjected to power.
7) What is the distinction between the "deployment of sexuality" and the "deployment of alliance"?
According to Foucault, the deployment of alliance exists within all cultures and is essentially a system of kinship relationships, particularly marriage. Foucault states, “The deployment of alliance has as one of its chief objectives to reproduce the interplay of relations and maintain the law that governs them.” (106) Further, “…what is pertinent is the link between partners and definite statuses…” (106) The deployment of sexuality is contingent on the deployment of alliance, in that it works on top of it, figuratively. The deployment of sexuality is, “…concerned with the sensations of the body, the quality of pleasures, and the nature of impressions…” (106) Similar to the way that the deployment of alliance was in place to serve as a controlling force upon kinship ties, the deployment of sexuality was concerned with controlling how the body produces and consumes. (107)
“The deployment of alliance is built around a system of rules defining the permitted and the forbidden, the licit and the illicit, whereas the deployment of sexuality operates according to mobile, polymorphous, and contingent techniques of power.” (106)