On the body, reflexivity and power: a dialogue between Anthony Giddens and Michel Foucault

Abstract

This article deals with the British sociologist Anthony Giddens’ critical assessments of the work of the French philosopher Michel Foucault. We ask whether Giddens’ criticisms are appropriate, in light of the re-elaborations that Foucault himself carried out over the course of his trajectory and particularly in his latter years. For these purposes, we take the (in) capacity of individual action in relation to the (non)subjective processes which have taken place in modern society as a guideline for our reflections, adopting notions of subject and power to analyze the body’s place within these discourses. We conclude with an analysis of some common elements in both theorists’ theoretical perspectives, present despite the epistemological and political nuances that distinguish them. Keywords: subject, body, power, politics.