Foucault's genealogy as epistemology

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that Foucault's theorizing about knowledge, power and the subject of knowledge should be part of epistemology as philosophical discipline. Epistemology is redefined and understood as theorizing about knowledge in general and as inseparable from politics. The paper focuses on genealogy as epistemology starting from the thesis that Foucault in his genealogical works develops a conception of power that has important consequences on epistemological concepts of knowledge and the knower/subject of knowledge who is not a constituting Cartesian subject, but a constituted subject, an effect of power and knowledge constellations. Genealogy (as epistemology) is further understood as 'insurrection of subjugated knowledges', of knowledges and knowers discredited and marginalized by dominant totalizing theories. Subjugated, local knowledges have the potential of creating new epistemological space, because their relation to power could be different than that of dominant knowledges. Therefore, genealogy could be seen as an epistemological method that opens new possibilities for theorizing about knowledge.

Keywords

• epistemology
• genealogy
• knowledge
• power
• subject of knowledge
• subjugated knowledges