From Foucault to Papadopoulos

The second TDG meeting took place on Wednesday. Many thanks to everyone who showed up for the inspiring discussion.

The last chapter of Foucault’s “Order of things” was quiet challenging, but we managed to get some interesting ideas out of it. Like for example that the “modern episteme” we are in is not universal, and that a new epochal re-configuration of knowledge is not only possible, but, according to Foucault, is already taking place. Indeed for him knowledge is being re-unified under the structural supremacy of language/discourse. However, this reunification operates as a closure of the specific intellectual space opened in the modern era by the invention of man as “what needs to be conceived and known”. In this space, which is essentially a space of conscious as well as unconscious representation, human sciences found their ‘precarious’ homeland.

Is this closure the source of the intellectual crisis we all feel is affecting the academia, and especially the field of social sciences? This is difficult to say, but it could definitely play an important role. Indeed we argued that despite the emphasis consensually given to its creative potentialities, language/discourse has become increasingly normative - to the extent that every aspect of human subjectivity tends to be submitted to it. This is confirmed by the mounting bureaucratization, by the primacy of form over content, by the standardization/quantification of knowledge, but also by the ambiguous way in which some fashionable concepts are used to shape realities. Ishwari, for example, made a point about the political function the word ‘empowerment’ plays when referred to certain communities in rural India.

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TDG is an informal, autonomous, student-lead intellectual space where original outcomes of contemporary philosophy are discussed, with a special emphasis on ‘continental’ thinkers. While researching new possible articulations between philosophy and social sciences, students’ own projects and experiences are considered as being part of the discussion. Through sharing knowledge and ideas as well as the eventual intervention of guests coming from other institutes, TDG establishes itself as a new intellectual platform, open to the participation of all postgraduate students.

Next TDG session is scheduled for the 25^th of March at 12

We still do not have a venue but Stephen is working on it.

Proposed reading is “In the ruins of representation: Identity, individuality, subjectification” by Dimitris Papadopoulos (School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, UK). If you can not find it, just drop an email to alessandro.zagato@gmail.com 

Abstarct:

This paper explores a threefold shift in our understanding of identity formation and self-relationality: from an essentialist understanding of identity, to discursive and

constructivist approaches, to, finally, the notion of embodied subjectification. The main target of this paper is to historicize these ideas and to localize them in the current social and political conditions of North-Atlantic societies. The core argument is that these three steps in reformulating the concept of identity correspond to an emerging form of subjectivity, affirmative subjectivity, which is bound to the proliferation of the post-Fordist reorganization of the social and political realm. The three theoretical shifts and their social situatedness will be illustrated through a rereading of some ideas from Lev S. Vygotsky’s late theory, Michel Foucault’s account of government and Jacques Ranciere’s political philosophy.

Every one who wants to participate should read the suggested paper and prepare a few questions/reflections in order to discuss them with the other students during the session.

Enjoy your reading, and see you at the next TDG meeting

Alessandro 

statement

In Social Sciences one can observe the tendency to separate empirical research from the discussion of its general philosophical conditions, which are frequently just alluded to or taken for granted - but never seriously, critically engaged with. At the end of the day, accurate theoretical enquiry doesn’t really seem to be part of the ‘game’ in many departments.
We believe that primacy of practical as well as methodological/normative concerns responds to the defensive necessity of strengthening the ‘scientific status’ and the identitarian boundaries of Social Sciences. Indeed these disciplines, apart from being intrinsically controversial and to a certain extent uncertain, are also facing a profound epistemological crisis - the same crisis announced by Foucault around 1966 in the last chapter of The Order of Things.
The result of what one could describe as a ‘theoretical/philosophical decline’ in favour of a more standardized technical approach is reflected in the large amount of academic papers and communications, which are repetitive, superficial, dry, intellectually un-stimulating, largely descriptive and speculative but definitely poor in thought.
Considering that one of the main aims of philosophy is the projection of thought beyond existent epistemological configurations, we believe that it constitutes a source from which social sciences cannot abstain from drawing inspiration. Indeed as for philosophy, the aim of research in social sciences should be that of continuously, critically, dynamically reinventing itself and its objects.
The awareness of a theoretical lack within our academic reality induced us, a collective of PhD students, to organize an independent, autodidactic initiative. The aim is to fill this lack (and counter the technical/normative turn) with autonomous, student-lead roundtables where new original outcomes of contemporary philosophy may be discussed, with a special emphasis on ‘continental’ thinkers. While researching new possible articulations between philosophy and social sciences, students’ own individual projects will be considered as being integral part of the discussion.

Through sharing knowledge and ideas as well as the occasional intervention of guests coming from other institutes, the Theory Discussion Group establishes itself as a new intellectual platform, open to the participation of all students.

Alessandro Zagato