Foucault in the Valley of Death by Gabriel Alcala
In this seminar, we will explore how Foucault revolutionized the study of history, including the fields of madness and medicine, prison and punishment, sexuality and the self. In addition to reading Foucault, we will also look at how historians have made use of Foucault’s ‘toolkit’ – concepts such as biopolitics and governmentality – in their own research and writing. Our aim will be to examine how historians have adapted, elaborated, and critiqued Foucault, notably in the areas of gender, race, and colonialism. May be offered jointly with HIST 471.
