Day 28: Michel Foucault (1926–1984)

Analyzed power and knowledge, contributing significantly to post-structuralism.

Biography of Michel Foucault

Michel Foucault, born on October 15, 1926, in Poitiers, France, emerged as one of the most influential and controversial thinkers of the 20th century. His academic journey led him through prestigious institutions, including the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, where he engaged deeply with philosophy and psychology. Foucault’s intellectual pursuits were varied and interdisciplinary, encompassing history, philosophy, sociology, and the study of culture. He held positions at several universities, most notably at the Collège de France, where he served as Professor of the History of Systems of Thought from 1970 until his death on June 25, 1984, in Paris. Foucault’s work, characterized by its critical examination of power, knowledge, and social institutions, has had a profound impact on contemporary thought across a wide range of disciplines.

Major Ideas and Contributions

Foucault’s oeuvre is vast and encompasses a critical analysis of various aspects of society and human experience. One of his central concepts is the relationship between power and knowledge, and how they are used to control and define societal norms and categories. Foucault argued that power is…