Foucault, Michel, << foo KOH, mee SHEHL >> (1926-1984), was a French philosopher and historian. His theories have been widely influential in the study of culture, literature, history, and related fields.
In The Order of Things (1966), Foucault divided the history of European culture since 1500 into three eras separated by intervals of discontinuity and change. The eras were the late Renaissance (1500’s), the classical era (mid-1600’s to late 1700’s), and the modern era (early 1800’s to the present). He defined each era by a distinct episteme, meaning a set of relations used to organize and produce whatever counts as knowledge in that era. Each episteme is different and follows others in no logical sequence.
In The Archaeology of Knowledge (1969), Foucault describes discursive practices, by which he means the language and ideas used by a particular profession or that define a particular field of knowledge. He wrote several books about the role of discursive practices in the development of medical clinics, mental hospitals, and prisons. He wanted to show how discursive practices emerged and changed. He also wanted to reveal the way they enabled some groups to exert power over society and individuals. Foucault’s final work was the three-volume The History of Sexuality (1976, 1984) in which he traced the ways of talking about sexuality and of attempts to channel, control, or regulate it. Foucault was born on Oct. 15, 1926, in Poitiers. He died on June 25, 1984.
