Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) - The present century is Foucauldian: Najafzadeh

According to the translator of 'Society must be defended: lectures at the Collège de France, 1975-76', while Foucault himself termed the present century as Deleuzian, I believe that it is rather Foucauldian. As today Post-Foucauldian practical philosophy is being reproduced by current radical thinkers in the context of a tradition that was initiated by Foucault.

IBNA: "The book entitled as Society Must be Defended contains Michel Foucault's lectures at the Collège de France during 1975-76," said Reza Najafzadeh; "He held various lectures in North and Latin American academies the most important of which was presented at the Collège de France when he was offered the seat of the history of thought systems after the death of Jean Hyppolite, a French philosopher known for championing the work of Hegel, and other German philosophers."

He added: "Publication of Foucault's lectures at the Collège de France has started since 1997 and by far nine volumes are released in French. Some of them are also available in English and I have translated two of them into Persian: 'The Birth of Bipolitics' that is released by Nashre Ney, and now 'Society Must Be Defended' published by Rokhdad-e No."

He added: "Society Must Be Defended covers a wide range of topics from methodology to criticism of systems, regimes, and fundamental concepts in the history of western political thought.
Foucault in this book probes into genealogies, histories and scientific discourses and expounds opposing poles of analytics of power and his understanding of Nietzsche's new historicism.
In fact, it is important for Foucault to thoroughly understand historical method and application of critical history – or genealogic philosophy. Another methodological aspect in this book is Foucault's radical opposition to Hegelian tradition of dialectics – what is logically regarded as requisite to his special new-historicism.

Najafzadeh continued: "Foucault's lectures offer a splendid space for understanding Foucault's practical philosophy. This kind of practical philosophy is in line with radical modernity. Foucault's radical methodology has a tight proportion with his political thought. The so-called practical philosophy tends to subvert domination of comprehensive discourses and all privileges attained to pioneer theoreticians."

He added: "Society Must Be Defended contains Foucault's historical assessment of war model as a network for analysis of politics. That is why some experts interpret these lectures in the light of Foucault's strategic thought. Foucault calls politics an arena of war that is usually maintained by other means. The strategist philosopher organizes his strategic model based on the concepts of power, fight and war. Considering two possible forms for power analysis, Foucault focuses on the issue of war in order to find out to what extent war or opposition of powers make the basis of a civil society or actions of political power."

Highlighting once again the significance of Foucault's thought in contemporary century, Najafzadeh asserted: "Foucault had once stated that perhaps the present century is Deleuzian, but I believe that this century is rather Foucauldian. As today Post-Foucauldian practical philosophy is being reproduced by current radical thinkers in the context of a tradition that was initiated by Foucault."

The Persian rendition of "Society must be defended" is marketed by Rokhdad-e No.