College De France Research Articles

Untruth as the New Democratic Ethos: Reading Michel Foucault’s Interpretation of Diogenes of Sinope’s True Life in the Time of Post-Truth Politics

Since 2016, the rise of post-truth politics has created a situation of democratic discontent in the west. While many scholars tend to regard post-truth politics as a threat to democratic order, I would like to propose that what we have been witnessing in this form of politics has been the transformation of the democratic ethos. By turning to Michel Foucault’s lecture on the true life of Diogenes of Sinope, delivered at College De France in 1984, I ascertain the framework for demonstrating how we can approach a new shape of democratic ethos in our era of post-truth politics. I argue that in Diogenes’s true life, Foucault saw the concrete life, which could liberate each individual from the constraints of their conventional lives by emphasizing the material conditions of all human bodies. Diogenes’s life could then be a form of self-emancipation since it not only showed how untrue the conventional life was but also released each individual from any conventions estranged from them. Relying on this point, I propose the notion of untruth as the new ground of our democratic lives. Though post-truth politics destroys the objective form of truth, the untruth—as its main element—can play a leading role in grounding our democratic ethos to the extent that it asserts our capability of self-emancipation.

«Le Matériel verbal comme mémoire seconde» Memory in Paul Valéry’s Cours de Poétique

The aim of this article is to show the interrelationship between, memory, language and artistic production in the reflections of Paul Valéry. If some of Valéry’s essays in this sense were already accessible to readers, the recent publication of the almost entirely unpublished materials of the Cours de Poétique – held at the College de France from 1937 to 1941 – reveals a fruitful theoretical laboratory that can provide numerous insights into Valéry’s reflections on poetic production and the aesthetic importance of observing memory and its role in the creation of artistic forms.

Towards A Radically Relational Post-Grotowskian Performance Paradigm

Jerzy Grotowski chose to name his College de France lecture series La „lignee organique” au theatre et dans le rituel (The „Organic Lineage” in Theatre and Ritual), and the author, who attended and documented these final public talks, contends in this article that organicity constitutes a through-line connecting Grotowski’s theatrical and post-theatrical research. The author draws from these talks, as well as from her Grotowski-based training, including her work with Rena Mirecka, and her research collaborations with Indigenous artists and scholars from Turtle Island (North America), including Floyd Favel, who worked with both Grotowski and Mirecka. The author points out that in diverse traditional cultural practices whose role it is to enhance, restore, and sustain balance between human and non-human forms of life, organicity is understood as a living force endowing performative processes with energy, power, and efficacy. The post-Grotowskian performance paradigm envisioned by the author hinges upon a non-anthropocentric perspective informed by the ecological and spiritual dimensions of relationality articulated by several generations of Indigenous scholars. She contends that such a paradigm shift, which challenges artistic practices glorifying human creative agency, can provide a viable alternative to the dominance of (Eurocentric) new materialist/posthumanist theories of non-human agency.

The Representation of Racism and Social Invisibility in Todd Phillips’ Joker (2019)

The discourse of racism that has been per se attached to colored people is now linked to a wider circle, including whites. The essence of my article is to examine the “new racism” communicated by the Joker film by revisiting theories about modern racism. I will mainly rely on Michel Foucault’s state racism and internal racism explored in his lectures, Society Must Be Defended (1976) and his Abnormal Lectures at the College de France (1974-1975). Postmodernism proves that the notion of racism has transcended skin-color differences into distinctive forms of institutionalized discrimination. The fact that this discrimination is governmental, made the discourse of racism more complex. It has even been internalized into the mass population as the new mainstream model. This mainstream model excludes all “abnormals,” which could be the mentally ill, disabled people and criminals, or anyone who does not function properly in the capitalist society. The analysis of the film reveals that people with mitigating circumstances like disabled and clowns are otherized and ostracized on the accounts of their difference, thereby entering a pro tanto social invisibility
 

Mykhailo Hrushevsky and His Francophonic «Anthologie de la littérature ukrainienne» (1921) in Belgian and French Publications of the 20th and 21stcenturies (in Ukrainian) 7-15

Mykhailo Hrushevsky’s presence in French culture dates back to the beginning of the 20th century (a course of lectures in Paris, a review of É. Verhaeren’s drama, a 1912 Paris edition, etc.). Scholar’s most outstanding work in the context of Ukrainian-Francophone literary relations is his «Anthologie de la literature ukrainienne» (1921), which helped Francophone researchers learn about the literary heritage of Ukraine from ancient times to the 19th century. The main thesis of the article is the importance of this anthology in further acquaintance of the French speaking world with Ukrainian literature. The preface to this book written by the French linguist professor Antoine Meillet of College de France was important as it emphasized such an significant fact about the publication as «literature in Ukrainian not well known in other countries». M. Hrushevsky explained that it was only the first step of Ukrainian sociological institute which started its work on creation of the anthology of Ukrainian literature of later period. Materials from the edition of Ukrainian Sociological Institute were partly used in 1928 by the editorship of the Belgian-French magazine «La Nervie», being completed by some other samples of Ukrainian literature of the second half of the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20thcentury. Another fact that testifies about the importance ofHrushevsky’s anthology is that the outstanding French scholar and literary critic Roger Tisserand, the author of numerous encyclopedia articles about Ukrainian writers and the work «Life of a nation. Ukraine», referred to it more than once using some samples of Ukrainian poetry. Two excerpts from Mykhailo Hrushevsky’s edition («Galician–Volhynian Chronicle» (fragment) and «Praise to St. Volodymyr») were reprinted in Vol. 4a (1993) by the compilers of Belgian encyclopaedia «Patrimoine littéraireeuropéen» (12 vols.). A separate chapter about Mykhailo Hrushevsky and an excerpt from his foreword to the «Anthologie…» were included into Sarcelles anthology of Ukrainian literature (2004) by literary scholar Arkady Zhukovsky. The scholar described extensively Mykhailo Hrushevsky with special focus on his scholarly-research work, teaching and organization of academic life.The literary critic illustrated life and creative activity of the scholar by extracts from the preface to «Anthologie de la littérature ukrainienne…» and gave a short explanation of the issues, raised by Mykhailo Hrushevsky in his subsequent works. The material in the article about the resonance of M. Hrushevsky’s French anthology in the French speaking milieu testifies to the presence of the outstanding scholar, historian and literary critic in European culture. Such works as André Mazon’s memorable article in the Slavic journal «Le Monde Slave» (V. 12, № 1–2, 1935) and A. Joukovsky’s French language research «Mykhailo Hrouchevskyi. Sa vie et son œuvre. Paris, 1997» are of great interest.

Chronet and Creative Impulse

According to some works of N. Baratashvili and Adam Mickiewicz, attention is directed to the historic and literary time and space, pursuant to Bakhtin chronet theory. In both cases, historic reality - countries occupied by Russia, and literary space – rebellious spirit is expressed in human pains. In this context, “Fate Kartlis” by N. Baratashvili, “Pan Tadeusz” by Adam Mickiewicz and two other poems are discussed.Intuitive consciousness in the works of romanticists, who belong to the occupied country, is very interesting. This is proved in the poem “Pray” by N. Baratashvili and in the abstracts from the lectures by Adam   Mickiewicz. (He was a lecturer at the College de France in Paris for a certain time). Literary works show Adam Mickiewicz’s vision, “intuition is the knowledge from the soul depth: intutio – intus itio – penetration in yourself, internal experience, internal vision”. (http//press.ge/new/?m=&AID=18297). In the final part of the research, it is concluded that literary chronet is merged with everyday chronet and universal chronet is revealed: common field of creatively related souls (N. Baratashvili and Adam Mickiewicz) which stands higher than real time and space and is united in the literary world.

The Life path of the Italian Doctor, Anatomist, Surgeon and Theoretician of Medicine Guido Guidi

The name of Guido Guidi appears in the histories of medicine as that of the author of a beautifully illustrated book on surgery and as one of the innumerable anatomical eponyms. Guido Guidi practiced medicine and surgery in his native city Florence and made such a reputation that he was in 1542 invited by Francis I, King of France, to come to Paris. The King appointed him one of his personal physicians and permitted him to give public lectures in medicine and surgery at the newly founded College de France. Guidi was about to publish a surgical treatise, based on a Greek manuscript of the tenth century preserved in the Laurenzian Library at Florence. Among the notable features of this manuscript were thirty full-sized plates illustrating the commentary of Apollonius of Kitium on the Hippocratic treatise on dislocations and other pictures accompanying a copy of Galen's treatise on bandaging. These illustrations represented the genuine Hippocratic traditions of surgical practice as transmitted through later Greek channels to Byzantium. In Paris, Guidi lived with Benvenuto Cellini, who became his friend and who has many laudatory references to him in his autobiography. In 1544 Guidi's book on surgery appeared. It is a splendid folio volume, beautifully printed and containing remarkable woodcut copies, or rather adaptations, of the original tenth-century drawings. Guidi's Chirurgia was the best illustrated work on surgery that had appeared up to its date. It comprises translations of six works by Hippocrates, one by Galen and two by Oribasius, together with commentaries by Galen and by Guidi himself. The treatment of all varieties of fractures and dislocations is described in great detail and is very clearly illustrated. Some three years after the publication of his Chirurgia Guidi was recalled to Italy to become chief personal physician to Cosimo de Medici. He practiced and taught medicine at Pisa, took Holy Orders, received high' ecclesiastical preferment, and was in 1557 raised to the nobility. He died at the height of his renown on 26 May 1569 and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors in Florence. For some years before his death he had been occupied in writing a comprehensive work on medicine. This great work was completed and published by his nephew in three huge volumes between 1596 and 1611. This study is based on original research and it corrects many errors that have been perpetuated in standard reference books.

Słowacki – polityk. Uwagi na marginesie dwóch listów do Adama Czartoryskiego

The article presents an interpretation of two letters written by Juliusz Słowacki to Prince Adam Czartoryski. The letters show how political action was important to the Polish romantic poet. In contrast to past research, it shows the depth of Słowacki’s political thought. He considered various forms of government and chose the best option. Słowacki wrote about three forms of government: Roman, Homeric Greek, and Gospel-based. He also wrote about the importance of filioque. The equality between Jesus and the God father in relations to Holy Spirit showed the way to universal priesthood and ecumenical council. Słowacki a model of a democratic state based on a group of three people. The group would consist of a brother who directs the spirit, a soldier, and a marshal. In Polish, we would say about person who gives meaning to things and weight to ideas. We can observe the development of various forms of government over time.According to Słowacki, political presence is possible through self liberation. We should consider the consequence of our future actions and always keep in mind the immortality present in each of us. Being fully a citizen is possible thanks to the poet – the liberator. In order to recognise the spirit of a nation, poets should use their intuition and write down the results as a historical record. Write down the results as a historical record. In his letters, Słowacki pointed to Mickiewicz’s role in College de France and urged that the poet’s position should be stabilised. Słowacki proposed to Prince Adam Czartoryski that he would sway the feelings of Poles to make them love and admire the Prince. Słowacki showed how important poetry was in the process of building a new nation. His most importance message to Prince Czartorsyski was that he should do something heroic. Słowacki’s trip to Lesser Poland in 1848 was very important on a political level.

Frantz Grenet - Full Member of the French Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres

Prominent French orientalist, professor of College de France Frantz Grenet made an exceptional contribution to the study of the ancient and medieval history of Central Asia. Professor F. Grenet has been promoting international scientific cooperation for a long time, including cooperation between France and Russia. The election of Professor F. Grenet as a full member of the French Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres is highly significant event for the world oriental studies.

Science and Really Existing Socialism in Maoist China

Science and Really Existing Socialism in Maoist China

Die ontwikkeling en komplekse samehange van die huidige vier bande van Foucault se Histoire de la sexualité

Hierdie artikel bied 'n toeganklike oorsig van die ontwikkeling en komplekse samehange van die huidige vier bande van Michel Foucault (1926-1984) se seksualiteitsgeskiedenis in die reeks Histoire de la sexualité, gepubliseer by Gallimard in Parys. Die eerste band is in 1976 en die tweede en derde in 1984 met Foucault as alleenskrywer gepubliseer, en die vierde band (Les aveux de la chair) het in Februarie 2018 onder redakteurskap van Frédéric Gros gevolg. Les aveux de la chair se huidige status (met inbegrip van die skrywer van hierdie artikel se voorbehoude daaroor) in die reeks en Foucault se groter oeuvre word inleidend aangedui, waarna 'n gedetailleerde oorsig volg van die tematies-chronologiese ontwikkeling van die drie vroeër gepubliseerde bande (La volonté de savoir [gelees met die manuskrip van La chair et le corps, wat waarskynlik geredigeer sal word om as vyfde band in die reeks te dien], L 'usage des plaisirs en Le souci de soi) en die koppeling van hierdie tekste met Les aveux de la chair. 'n Tabel waarin die tematiese en chronologiese samehange tussen die huidige vier en minstens nog twee beoogde bande in die reeks uiteengesit word, word as deel van die gevolgtrekking aangebied.

Le cas « Oblomov » : entre philosophie du non-agir, nihilisme existentiel et modèle de psychasthénie appliquée

AimIt is essential to distrust shortcuts, inferences, and generalizations, but it must be noted that literature can offer unique explanations about personality disorders or often even delve into a subtle, unexpected description of a more complex syndromic case or psychopathological model that we are familiar with. I. Goncharov, through the character of Oblomov, allows us to revisit the concept of psychasthenia that Pierre Janet described in 1903. As a disciple of T. Ribot, who he would follow as chair of experimental and comparative psychology at the College de France, and as a contemporary of Freud, with whom he disagreed on the way of “thinking about neurosis” (in terms of conflict for one, and in terms of deficit for the other), P. Janet would also develop the idea of the subconscious. His work, “Obsessions and Psychasthenia” was the first to describe obsessions and compulsions clearly and coherently, and to put forward the idea of an original psychological therapy, as well as an explanatory model. I hereby wish to pay tribute to him. Over and above the indisputable therapeutic virtues of literature, I seek to know how a novel can help the clinician to better understand a concept, an era, or even support a diagnostic hypothesis. MethodWe shall consider literary fiction as an opening onto a parallel world, the realm of the psychiatric, updated by a reader's activity, memories, references, and subjectivity. Through a comparative analysis, a sort of meta-theater between the life story of the main character (Oblomov) and the reactivation of more operational diagnostic criteria, I shall try to bring a founding concept of our discipline to light. ResultsAn extremely subtle psychiatric state (in this case psychasthenia) gradually becomes perceptible, one that will be authenticated using the conventional descriptions that we know. DiscussionThis raises the question of the place that the novel reserves for mental disorders. Through an empathetic and nuanced representation of mental illnesses, it makes all their complexity perceptible from the inside, in the light of standards that evolve over time, reflections of the given era and society. ConclusionLiterature allows us to reflect upon “madness” (as a social and cultural object), in the sense that the former reflects the latter, thereby allowing us to reconsider it.

Derivative formulas in measure on Riemannian manifolds

We characterize the link of derivatives in measure, which are introduced in Albeverio, Kondratiev, and Röckner (C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris Sér I Math. 323 (1996) 1129–1134); Cardaliaguet (P.-L. Lions lectures at College de France. Online at https://www.ceremade.dauphine.fr/~cardaliaguet/MFG20130420.pdf); and Overbeck, Röckner, and Schmuland (Ann. Probab. 23 (1995) 1–36), respectively, by different means, for functions on the space M of finite measures over a Riemannian manifold M. For a reasonable class of functions f, the extrinsic derivative D E f coincides with the linear functional derivative D F f , the intrinsic derivative D I f equals to the L-derivative D L f , and D I f ( η ) ( x ) = D L f ( η ) ( x ) = lim s ↓ 0 1 s ∇ f ( η + s δ · ) ( x ) = ∇ { D E f ( η ) } ( x ) , ( x , η ) ∈ M × M , where ∇ is the gradient on M, δ x is the Dirac measure at x, and D E f ( η ) ( x ) : = lim s ↓ 0 f ( η + s δ x ) − f ( η ) s , x ∈ M is the extrinsic derivative of f at η ∈ M . This gives a simple way to calculate the intrinsic or L-derivative, and is extended to functions of probability measures.

Author and text: A critical analysis of Michel Foucault's what is an author

Michel Foucault (1926-84) was a philosopher, social scientist and historian of ideas. He died as professor of the History of Systems of thought at the college De France in Paris. He has exerted an enormous influence on many branches of thoughts in the later twentieth century, including what is broadly known as ‘Cultural Studies’. The paper aims to highlight that he has a seminal impact on the New Historicism that was initiated by Stephen Greenblatt, as well as on queer theory. The central theme of most of Foucault’s works is “the methods with which modern civilization creates and controls human subjects through institutions such as hospitals, prisons, education, and knowledge. The corollary to these investigations was Foucault’s examination of power, its execution and distribution” (Habib, 766). His works offer a characterization of the growth of knowledge in the modern western world as manifested in the emergence of disciplines such as linguistics, economies and biology.

La poétique valéryenne de l’esprit et son héritage structuraliste : une morphologie générale

A famous disciple of Mallarmé, Valéry (1871-1945), in pursuing his master’s research on autotelicity, anticipated a side of structuralism, in the broadest sense, which thinks of artistic creation and novelty in continuity with the forms of nature. In Valéry’s case, the productions of the mind, envisaged within the framework of his chair of Poetics at the College de France, thus take physiology as their model. Sometimes surprisingly, Valéry’s developments find a form of descent in the textualism of Barthes and in the aesthetics of Deleuze, which unfolds in Difference and Repetition. Motifs and forms such as enantiodromy, templum and arabesque will escort us through a reflection on autotelicity, making the opposition between Physis and Technè obsolete.

Espressioni dell'anima. Sperimentazione e immagine al Collège de France

Between the second half of the XIX and the beginning of the XX century, the work of the Ecole de la Salpetriere stands out in the medical world of the French capital. While the production of this school has been widely acknowledged, the work of some doctors, whose clinical and didactic activity presents itself as rich in the lively inter-mixing concerning medical and artistic fields, is otherwise still less examined. From this perspective, the article examines the research of Charles Emile Francois-Franck (disciple of Etienne-Jules Marey) and his physiological laboratory at College de France around the theory of emotions. Starting from the experimental method, the work and the apparatus of this space proceed to welcome new psychological paradigms and a web of discursive and iconographic instances, that create an original photographic archive. Thus, this ‘icono-diagnostic’ collection shows the epistemological bond between photography, history of art and the semeiotic image of emotions.

Penal Theories and Institutions: Lectures at the College de France 1971–1972

Between 1970 and his death in 1984 (with the exception of a sabbatical in 1977), Michel Foucault delivered an annual series of lectures at the Collège de France. Using tape recordings as well as Foucault’s and others’ notes, the lectures have, since 1997, been published in French (with English translations appearing from 2003). The second lecture series, Penal Theories and Institutions, delivered between November 1971 and March 1972, is the final set of lectures to be published. It is not surprising these lectures have been published last. There were no recordings of the lectures and the editor, Bernard Harcourt, has recreated them from Foucault’s notes. Foucault’s original notations have been included, with crossed out passages detailed in the footnotes. These footnotes are supplemented by extensive endnotes providing context and links to Foucault’s wider scholarship and social activism. Whilst I suspect some readers will find this format frustrating, I found...

Care of the Self and the Ethos of Leadership in Times of Pandemic and Crisis

Foucault’s notion of the “care of the self ” is essential in preparing leaders for crisis situations. Crisis situations are characterized by insecurity, uncertainty, and disruption. Hence, it demands for leadership who will provide direction, inspiration, hope, and solution. Leaders must be prepared in encountering crisis situation as well as in the effective performance of crisis leadership tasks. Leadership preparation for crisis situation need not only scientific and technical know-how but also the development of one’s character, values, and moral conviction. Leaders must be guided by rational discourse, convictions, principles, and truth. Their actions and decisions must be consistent with truth, beliefs, values, and convictions.
 References
 
 Boin, A. et al., Leadership in Times of Crisis: A Framework for Assessment in International Review of Public Administration. Volume 18. No. 1. April 2013.
 Boin, A. and P. Hart, Public leadership in times of crisis: Mission impossible? in Public Administration Review. September/October 2003. Volume 63. Number 5.
 Boris, Vanessa. How Leaders at All Levels Are Taking on Change Management. April 8, 2020 @ https://www.harvardbusiness.org/how-leaders-at-all-levels-are-taking-on-change-management.
 Champoux-Paille, L. and Croteau, A. The reason why female leaders are excelling at managing the coronavirus. May 18, 2020 @ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/why-women-leaders-are-excelling-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic.
 Foucault, Michel. Courage of Truth: Lectures at the College de France 1983-1984. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.
 ______________. The Hermeneutics of the Subject: Lectures at the College de France 1981-1982. Frederic Gros, ed. Graham Burchell, trans. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.
 ______________. The Care of the Self: The History of Sexuality, Robert Hurley, trans. (New York: Vintage Books, 1988)
 Foster, Deanna. Leading Through Uncertainty. March 12, 2020 @ https://www.harvardbusiness.org/leading-through-uncertainty.
 Kerrissey, M. and Edmondson. A. What Good Leadership Looks Like During This Pandemic. April 23, 2020 @ https://hbr.org/2020/04/what-good-leadership-looks-like-this-pandemic.
 Kraemer, Jr., Harry. From Values to Action: The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2011.
 Kretchner, Henry. 3 Leadership Lessons from the Age of Coronavirus. August 12, 2020 @ https://weforum.org/agenda/2020/08/coronavirus-leadership-women-leaders-jacinda-arden.
 Lowney, Chris. Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company that Changed the World. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2003.
 Nyenswah, T. et al. Leadership in Times of Crisis: The Example of Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia in Health Systems and Reform. 2(3): 194-207. 2016. ISSN: 2328-8604 print/2328-8620 online, DOI http://doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2016.1222793

Militantismo filosófico y espiritualidad política en Foucault

En los últimos cursos que impartió en el Collège de France, entre 1980 y 1984, Michel Foucault dio un protagonismo creciente en sus investigaciones al cinismo antiguo. Su estudio histórico de la ética antigua, orientado primero hacia la experiencia moral de los placeres, y luego al tema del cuidado de sí y de las prácticas ascéticas a través de las cuales se constituye la subjetividad en el marco de una estética de la existencia, termina con el ejemplo de los cínicos a causa del fallecimiento de Foucault en junio de 1984. No obstante, los cínicos parecen representar al final de esos análisis un momento privilegiado, en cierto modo una culminación. El presente artículo pretende indagar en las razones de ese privilegio sobre la hipótesis de que, en los cínicos, Foucault encuentra respuesta al problema del aspecto voluntario de las resistencias al poder.

Elementy Hermeneutyki podmiotu Michela Foucaulta w powojennej korespondencji Jarosława Iwaszkiewicza z Jerzym Lisowskim

The article analyses the phenomena occurring in epistolary, namely the exchange of letters. The newly published correspondence of Jerzy Lisowski with Anna and Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, during a very specific period, when, just after the war, the imposed socialist-realist regime was taking shape, will serve as an example. However, the practices connected with disciplining public order in Poland are not the subject of the article, but people with completely different aesthetic desires. Politics in this correspondence gives way to the plan of, for example, fascination with Romance studies and the achievements of Western culture, which not only united the authors of the epistolary dialogue, but also significantly shaped it for the rest of their lives. This is particularly important if one looks at the professions of both participants in the correspondence. The author of the article takes as a paradigm elements of Michel Foucault’s claims from the collection of lectures entitled Hermeneutics of the Subject from the College de France from the turn of 1981/1982. The correspondence is analysed in terms of claims related to the practices of the self, the exchange of letters between friends in the age of antiquity, and parrhesia. References to fragments of an elementary work on epistolography, namely Theory of a Letter [Teoria listu] by Stefania Skwarczyńska, are also an important element. One of the inspirations for writing the article was also New Theory of a Letter [Nowa teoria listu] by Anita Całek, who also proposes to look at the correspondence through the prism of the theorems of Foucault and Skwarczyńska. The aim of the article was to present not only the essential features of a letter in the context of the formation of interpersonal relations, but also the maturation of personality and to understand to what extent letters may become a testimony of rich autobiographical narratives.