Overview

Michel Foucault is rarely viewed as a philosopher of technology, yet academics and students routinely refer to his terms 'technologies of power', 'governmental technologies', and 'technologies of the self'. This book is a response to the contradiction between the paucity of research into Foucault's technological thought and the abundancy of technological vocabulary and metaphors in his own writings as well as in the commentary literature; it provides the most extensive examination of the role of technology in Foucault's work so far. Villadsen argues that technology serves neither as an object of Foucault's analysis nor as a convenient metaphor for making arguments, but as rather integral to his thinking and writing. As the book's title, Foucault's Technologies indicates, it explores not Foucault and modern technology understood as technical devices like television, smartphones, or industrial machines, but rather Foucault's approach to the theme of technology and his use of technological terms. The book provides an extensive exploration of Foucault's technological thought, arguing that he offers a distinct framework that confronts commonsensical understanding and other scientific approaches to technology. The reader will travel a route paved with discussions of how Foucault's work intersects with that of other key thinkers, particularly Heidegger, Althusser, Nietzsche, and Deleuze. While presenting efforts in intellectual history, the book ultimately focusses on the analytical implications for 'users', showing how researchers can benefit from Foucault's technological approach. As such, the book offers an analytical framework effective for the study of problems in present-day welfare states and the emergent world of data-capitalism.

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9780198819400

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Reviews

'Politics and technology are increasingly intertwined. Villadsen's lucid and well-informed examination of Michel Foucault's reflections on the topic greatly advances our understanding of what is currently at stake.' * Hans Sluga, Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Berkeley * 'This book provides a lucid, coherent, and impressively wide-ranging argument for understanding technology as an essential dimension of Foucault's thought. Moving beyond customary understandings of technology, Villadsen's presentation of Foucault as a technological thinker convincingly demonstrates not only the enduring relevance of his thought but also its agenda-setting potential for future studies. An impressive feat!' * Sverre Raffnsøe, Professor, Copenhagen Business School, and Editor-in-Chief, Foucault Studies * 'This magnificent book will transform Foucault scholarship. Erudite, inventive, meticulously researched, and powerfully argued, it offers an original and extraordinarily generative reading of Foucault. Using the guiding thread of technology to take us through Foucault's vast corpus, Villadsen also offers powerful ways to navigate the disorienting landscape of new technologies today. This is a true tour de force.' * Rebecca Comay, Professor of Philosophy, University of Toronto * 'Villadsen has proven himself a foremost interpreter of Foucault's analytical toolbox. In this book, Villadsen contextualizes Foucault within philosophy and social theory, exploring both Foucault's affinities with, and departures from, Heidegger, Nietzsche, Althusser, and Deleuze. For those of us struggling to grasp our current condition, Villadsen provides an indispensable mapping, but also ways to analyze the problems posed by techno-capitalism.' * Thomas Dumm, Professor of Political Science, Amherst College *

Author Information

Kaspar Villadsen specializes in Michel Foucault's authorship, modern technology, and organization studies. Villadsen received his PhD in Sociology from Copenhagen University in 2004, and took a position as Assistant Professor at Copenhagen Business School (CBS) in 2005. Villadsen became an Associate Professor at CBS in 2008 and a Professor in 2015. He has been a visiting Professor at City University of New York, UC-Berkeley, Oslo University, and Amherst College. Villadsen has published around 65 international journal articles, writing at the intersections of sociology, philosophy, and intellectual history.

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