Ambivalent Modernities: Foucault’s Iranian Writings Reconsidered

Authors

  • Corey McCall Elmira College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22439/fs.v0i15.3989

Abstract

This essay reconsiders Foucault’s writings on the Iranian Revolution in the context of his thought during 1977-1979. The essay defends three related claims: (1) Foucault does not turn away from power toward ethics as many scholars have claimed, (2) Careful interpretation of the texts on the Iranian Revolution will help us to better understand Foucault’s essays and lecture courses from this period (in particular, the relationship between political spirituality and counter-conduct), and (3) During this period Foucault is working on conceptualizing modernity as a multivalent set of practices—some that reinforce power relations and some that resist them.

Author Biography

Corey McCall, Elmira College

Corey McCall is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Elmira College in Elmira, NY. His current research examines the philosophical significance of Foucault's essays on literature. His articles on Foucault have appeared in Idealistic Studies, The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, and International Studies in Philosophy. He has also published on figures such as Benjamin, Heidegger, and Emerson.

Downloads

Published

2013-01-16

How to Cite

McCall, C. (2013). Ambivalent Modernities: Foucault’s Iranian Writings Reconsidered. Foucault Studies, (15), 27–51. https://doi.org/10.22439/fs.v0i15.3989

Issue

Number 15: February 2013: Foucault and Religion

Section

Special Issue on Foucault and Religion

License

Authors retain copyright to their work, but assign the right of the first publication to Foucault Studies. The work is subject to a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, but despite these restrictions, authors can take for granted that Foucault Studies will permit articles published in Foucault Studies to be translated or reprinted in another format such as a book providing a full reference is made to Foucault Studies as the original place of publication.