Abstract

In the course of recent calls for a new materialist or realist turn in the humanities, Foucault's contributions to our thinking of the present have come under scrutiny. Has Foucault paved the way for new approaches capable to grasp the complex materiality of our time? Or is he rather part of the anthropocentric baggage we need to leave behind, lulled into the 'Kantian sleep' that has worn out thinking for way too long? After sketching some critical points raised against Foucault, thereby focusing on Quentin Meillassoux, the author discusses the possible philosophical roots of Foucault's alleged anthropocentrism. The paper ends by re-examining what it would mean to historicize or even overcome Foucault in favor of a new materialism.

Keywords: apriori, new materialism, speculative realism, Foucault, Heidegger, Kant, Meillassoux

How to Cite: Kaszner, Corinne. "Historisieren und/oder überwinden? Foucault im Kontext 'Neuer Materialismen.'" Le foucaldien 1, no. 1 (2015): 1–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.16995/lefou.9 [Note: In 2022, Le foucaldien relaunched as Genealogy+Critique.]