The Foucauldian Body and the Exclusion of Experience
- 1 January 1991
- journal article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Hypatia
- Vol. 6 (3) , 125-139
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1527-2001.1991.tb00259.x
Abstract
This paper considers the advantages of incorporating Foucault's anti-essentialist theory of the body into feminist explanations of women's oppression. There are also problems in that Foucault neglects to examine the gendered character of the body and reproduces a sexism endemic in “gender neutral” social theory. The Foucauldian body is essentially passive resulting in a limited account of identity and agency. This conflicts with an aim of feminism: to rediscover and revalue the experiences of women.Keywords
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