Contribution of Michel Foucault works on post-modernism.

Contribution of Michel Foucault works on post-modernism.

Foucault is the French philosophers and his works against traditional way, taboo and myths by using social fact through human experience as his evidence. He believes on socials and norms construct as his argument towards concepts of sexuality, power and madness.

Postmodernism emphasizes the human experience and multiplicity perspectives. Sexuality according to Foucault, is nothing more than a social construct. There is not something about our sex organs, or the act of sexual intercourse, or our instincts and impulses related to that act, that in itself relates to other aspects of our consciousness and social being. The act of sexual intercourse because of desire and pleasure to the act. It relates to the consciousness and self being itself. Foucault terms this approach to sexuality the "aesthetics of existence," by which he means "a way of life whose moral value did not depend either on one's being in conformity with a code of behavior, or on an effort of purification, but on a form. Foucault explain that under Victorian era, meaning the way of thinking and action against the traditional way in 19th century compared to 17th century which is still in frank. Meaning that the civilization of human move backward. Sexuality been censored without education. So Foucault look this issue as social fact as a censored the reality, people are trying to closed the truth about based on human experience which is effect kids abuse, violence, oppress, and many more.

According to Foucault, power is a socially construct, its in vein and its everywhere. Everybody have power. Power is regenerated within power relation. Focault looks more on individual aspect, refer the individual as agency. But, power only power when it comes with knowledge and action. It can`t stand either one. Foucault has rejected class analysis of power (modernist). There are no relations of power without resistances. Thus, for Foucault, postmodernity is in all respects power-knowledge relationship (based on human experience which is power relation).

Last is madness. He argued that madness is a certificated given but not fully nature/ illness. What does Foucault say in Madness and Civilization? Foucault illustrates how notions like madness are socially and culturally constructed in any given age and place. The criteria for madness are made up, by us, they in part invented for particular social and political purposes. Thanks to science, centuries later we discovered that what used to be referred to as insanity or God's punishment was actually a form of illness of the brain that could be treated just like physical illness. (7 Nov 2020).

References

Foucault (History of Sexuality I) The Will to Knowledge.

Post-modernism

Internet reading

Is is true that trans and feminist is a best friend in terms of social movement?

Is is true that trans and feminist is a best friend in terms of social movement?

I still remember the expression and tune of discussion by one of my friend from Faculty of Education (History Education) in the year 2014, when she knew that I learned social thought and social theory. So, she always remind me about be careful with knowledge about thoughts, ideology, feminist movement, either you are able to change it or you will be influenced with it. I did reading and research on this topic and now I see the situation.

I want to share my weekly reading. Gender have been debated through series, history and civilization. The fact is gender movement are all around the world. Even at its lowest 0.05% level in any country. Literally, people understand that gender movement are against the human nature. If we look into social structure, there have a different interpretation and understanding about gender movement regarding what class you come from, different perspective based on the religious practitoners towards gender movement, and they way in micro level where family treated members who have different behaviour and desire from the norm.

Based on my reading on Foucault on power relation, I belief that human nature have the power that generated from social construct. When the power are in vein, thats mean the source can generated and regenerated it. Butler are more on doing pathology works in philosophy about gender theory and she`s against the crime that anybody commit, doesn’t matter you are pure man, pure lady, or trans. I think should against also the way of emotionally detached behaviour because its hurting people personally.

Regarding to Butler, gender and feminism have a struggle or fighting among this two group. Feminist is not necessary a trans, and a trans not necessary a feminist. Both also is a social movement but the they will have a different in the philosophy, history, terms, situation, and meaning of their life, even it just at trans level, or maybe last till end of life. It is important as a reader to understand the different in term and philosophy about gender theory and LGBTIQ. LGBTIQ, feminism and masculine is different group definition under gender theory umbrella. Even under one umbrella, they are still fighting among each others too, same goes to normal person. It is important as a human to understand, sometimes people can declare as a man but not real man, and sometimes they can declare as trans but they are not fully trans.

Now, not only trans should be recover, but its also should comes with reforms and responsibility in mind of all human and the social structure. Do you want to claim as normal person and blaim trans for doing wrong? Or do you know what your body can do when become a trans? Or do you want to support normal or trans movement just because you are think you are right or they have a right?

This is what makes me very happy in doing reading about Foucault. Even the powerless never realise that they have the power in their vein. I love to be a human, not a puppet. Same goes to when it comes to social or political movement and daily life, freedom will come when I freeing myself from oppressive and oppressed. This is what happen to the community of trans since they are child which is at initially, the history been oppressed are been censored by so many years and civilization.

I have the question on my mind which is did religion play the role to tolerate with normal people and trans? I see that human over riding and simplify taking the role of God in order to close the case of trans because not have interested in this complex issue. But, I stand to cure the people from sick, meaning not agree for trans and LGBTIQ been legit practice, but this case cannot stop because abuse, bully, and oppress is everywhere in all level or categories of social structure.

References

Foucault. History of Sexuality Volume I (1976)

Judith Butler lectures series on youtube

picture copy from internet

Student movements rountable discussion post Covid-19

Student movements rountable discussion post Covid-19

20th May 2023, the round table student event takes place among Universiti Malaya (UM) and Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia students (UIAM). Open discussion manage by Rahman Imuda, and moderator Dr Muqit Muhammad. The attendance recorded 13 students from UM, and 17 students from UIAM. There are interesting highlights.

There are groups of students who dare to expose their stand either pro to the right or left wing. They dont feel and see it as an obstacle to their daily life as students. While there were an uncomfortable ‘changing clothes’ among student activists to represent any political party. This happens because there is a clash between the standpoint of certain issues when it comes to the place, there is a conflict between the students and their "big brothers" behind them.

Students prefer manual voting rather than e-voting. This is because they want to feel the presence and practice of democracy on the political campus. Interestingly, there is a campus recording updated 12% voters for campus election, which is the highest vote recorded since campus elections are held yearly.

Students questioning why people talking about youth as future leaders, not right now leaders? While here are the things that need to take attention. Student movement posts independence 1960 until 2020 having almost the same struggle trend between conformists and anti-conformists. But, the post-Covid-19 sees that important point.

1. Student activists become more varied groups with their vision, mission and aspire.

2. Data voters percentage decreased.

3. Students want to maintain the manual voting because want to feel the democratic presence and practice.

The fact is, statistics show that 72.1% SPM students don’t want to further their studies at a higher level. They prefer working in gig economy industries. There`s a questions possible to think. How is the student movement waking up from the endemic Covid-19 issue? If people looking students as a leader, then where is the spaces for youth solutions nowadays, to let them make mistakes, corrected them and let them move forward? Is the student movement moving forward from idealism to activism, or just an idealism without activism, or activism without idealism?

credit picture by Rahman Imuda

Hi, I am nadia. I am graduated from Universiti Malaysia Sabah in (BA) Hons Sociology and Social Anthropology. Im interested into the work to increase the political literacy among society in order to develop powerful civil society.