'The birth of bio-politics': Michel Foucault's lecture at the Collège de France on neo-liberal governmentality

2001/01/01 by Thomas Lemke · 9 citations
Social Sciences · #Feminism, Gender, and Sexuality Studies #Foucault, Power, and Ethics #Political Theology and Sovereignty

paper · doi:10.1080/03085140120042271

openalex publication_date 2001/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

This paper focuses on Foucault's analysis of two forms of neo-liberalism in his lecture of 1979 at the Collège de France: German post-War liberalism and the liberalism of the Chicago School. Since the course is available only on audio-tapes at the Foucault archive in Paris, the larger part of the text presents a comprehensive reconstruction of the main line of argumentation, citing previously unpublished source material. The final section offers a short discussion of the methodological and theoretical principles underlying the concept of governmentality and the critical political angle it provides for an analysis of contemporary neo-liberalism.

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