Computer Writing and Research Lab | University of Texas at Austin

Language - Power - Foucault

So the way my class is going, it would be a good thing to emphasize language, representation and power, and how they are all connected. The class discussions are veering in that direction, and I really want to drive this point home. My first instinct would be to bring in some Foucault - as a handout - to the discussion. Of course, I worry that this might be a bit too much and wouldn't help out if it only proves confusing (like this blog post?). Is there anyone who has used such material - a particularly clear section from one of Foucault's works or something else - and have it work for an undergraduate section?

While Foucault is difficult,

While Foucault is difficult, he's also a common (or perhaps more accurately, occasional) reading in quite a few first-year writing courses. I know someone here (at Oregon State) included his "Panopticism" in their course, and it's also included in Bartholomae and Petroski's "Ways of Reading," a common reader for for first-year writing.