Understanding Foucault

‘Do not ask who I am and do not ask me to remain the same.’ Michel Foucault. Derided and disregarded by many of his contemporaries, Michel Foucault is now regarded as probably the most influential thinker of the twentieth century-his work is studied across the humanities and social sciences, among other disciplines.Reading Foucault, however, can be a challenge, as can writing about him, but in Understanding Foucault the authors offer an entertaining and informative introduction to his thinking. They cover all the issues Foucault dealt with, including power, knowledge, subjectivity and sexuality and discuss the development of his analysis throughout his work. Each topic is illustrated with topical examples from popular culture so that students can see how to use Foucault’s theories in their own writing.Understanding Foucault is a ‘must read’ for anyone tackling him for the first time.An ideal introduction , accurate and easy to follow thanks to its excellent prose and simple, lucidly explained examples from popular culture. Toby Miller, New York University, USA. The task of offering new readers a credible, intelligible and accessible overview of Foucault’s work is an unenviable one, but the authors have managed it with considerable aplomb. Tony Bennett, The Open University, UK.