Orleanskiy N.N. Genesis of the notion of biopolitics: from sociobiologism to post-structuralism

Abstract: The object of this article is the biopolitics, while the subject of this scientific research is the notion of biopolitics, its genesis and evolution. The author carefully examines the origin of this term, its evolutions and the borders of its current use within the framework of the Western political science. The author emphasizes the role of Michel Foucault as an innovator, who gave a new understanding to the problem of biopolitical measurement of social reality. The role of Giorgio Agamben and Norman Rose as successors of Foucault’s tradition of interpretation of biopolitics is also being highlighted. The author uses a textological analysis, which allows determining the differences in interpretation of this notion among various researchers. The main conclusions of the conducted research are the following: 1) structuring the periodization of development of the notion of biopolitics, which is based on the transformation of essence introduced by various authors; 2) detection of the inner content of the notion of biopolitics, which was used by various representatives of political science. We should also note the revolutionary innovations of M. Foucault, who introduced a new interpretation of this term by significantly expanding its apprehension and reconsidering the nature of authoritative interactions in the era of mature modernity.

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