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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

A Social Critique of Reflexive Reason: Relocating Critical Theory After Habermas and Foucault

Abstract

dc:description

"Chapters Four and Five present Foucault's genealogies as an externalist critique of reflexive agency. Contrary to the interpretation that genealogy dispenses with agency and precludes critique, I argue that our constitution as reflexive agents, and our capacity for taking normative stances and critical action, concern Foucault profoundly. His goal is to reveal how we ourselves sustain power in multiple, if not always apparent ways. By making our responsibility for current conditions more apparent, genealogy also calls on us to take cognizance of and active responsibility for the power relations we uphold. Through an analysis of ""the care of the self,"" genealogy's critical and normative stance is elaborated as an art of living, as a self-distanciating practice of the examined life."

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph.D.
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Philosophy
Grantor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Year dc:date
2015

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Hendrickson, Paul Sheldon
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Schacht, Richard L.

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

Language dc:language
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Identifier
(MiAaPQ)AAI9996637
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/87616

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Base URL
www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Hendrickson, Paul Sheldon. A Social Critique of Reflexive Reason: Relocating Critical Theory After Habermas and Foucault. Dissertation thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2142/87616