Foucault and Political Reason : Liberalism, Neo-Liberalism, and Rationalities of Government

Rating:
Summary: Another book on Foucault? Yes, but this one is different...
Review: One would think that the last thing the world needs is another book about Michel Foucault. With much relief, I discovered that this collection of essays is not simply another exegesis of the late philosopher's work but instead focuses rather specifically on his implied political theory. This volume seeks to introduce the reader to several political themes running through Foucault's writings and to offer "an analysis of political reason itself, of the mentalities of politics that have shaped our present, the devices invented to give effect to rule, and the ways that these have impacted upon those who have been the subjects of these practices of government" (p.2). This is ambitious agenda, and, on balance, the book succeeds well, despite some of its jargon and abstractions. The focus of the twelve chapters is the "ethical" and "technical" character of liberalism and neo-liberalism as a form of governing. The chapters are a mix of more or less accessible and relevant theoretical papers and ones addressing particular topics such as schooling, urban government, the insurance industry, and forms of communication technologies