Michel Foucault's Monographs: A Chronological Bibliography
Michel Foucault was a transformative thinker whose work examined the relationship between power, knowledge, and social control. His body of work, primarily published as monographs—detailed scholarly treatises on a single subject—traces a journey from the history of madness and medicine to the structures of language and the complexities of human sexuality.
Foucault's intellectual trajectory is often categorized by his use of archaeology (the study of the historical conditions that allow certain discourses to emerge) and genealogy (the study of how power relations shape knowledge). By revisiting the archives of the past, he challenged the linear progression of human reason and the perceived neutrality of scientific institutions.
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Key Facts
- Foucault's published monographs span from 1954 to 2018 (including posthumous releases).
- His early work focused heavily on psychology, psychiatry, and the medical gaze.
- The History of Sexuality is his most extensive multi-volume project, spanning several decades.
- Many of his seminal French texts were translated into English by scholars such as A. M. Sheridan-Smith and R. Howard.
Chronological Analysis of Major Works
Early Explorations of Psychology and Madness
Foucault began his career by questioning the boundaries of sanity. In 1954, he published Maladie mentale et personnalité, which was later re-edited in 1962 as Maladie mentale et psychologie. This work laid the groundwork for his 1961 masterpiece, Histoire de la folie à l'âge classique, which examines how society defined and isolated the "insane" during the Age of Reason.
The Archaeology of Knowledge and Medicine
In the 1960s, Foucault shifted toward the medical gaze—the way doctors perceive and categorize the human body. This is central to Naissance de la clinique (1963). During this period, he also explored the literary world of Raymond Roussel in Raymond Roussel (1963). This era culminated in Les mots et les choses (1966), where he analyzed the human sciences, and L'archéologie du savoir (1969), which formalized his methodological approach to history.
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Power, Discipline, and Sexuality
Foucault's later works moved toward the mechanisms of social control. L'ordre du discours (1971) examined the rules governing what can be said. In 1975, he published Surveiller et punir, a profound study on the evolution of the prison system and the birth of disciplinary society. His final major project, Histoire de la sexualité, began in 1976 and continued through 1984, with a final volume published posthumously in 2018, exploring the will to knowledge and the care of the self.
Summary of Published Monographs
| Year | Original French Title | English Translation Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Maladie mentale et personnalité | Mental Illness and Psychology |
| 1961 | Histoire de la folie à l'âge classique | Madness and Civilization |
| 1963 | Naissance de la clinique | The Birth of the Clinic |
| 1963 | Raymond Roussel | Death and the Labyrinth |
| 1966 | Les mots et les choses | The Order of Things |
| 1969 | L'archéologie du savoir | Archaeology of Knowledge |
| 1971 | L'ordre du discours | The Discourse on Language |
| 1975 | Surveiller et punir | Discipline and Punish |
| 1976–2018 | Histoire de la sexualité | The History of Sexuality |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the English title of 'Surveiller et punir'?
The English translation of this 1975 work is Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison.
How many volumes are in 'The History of Sexuality'?
There are four volumes: The Will to Knowledge (1976), The Use of Pleasure (1984), The Care of the Self (1984), and The Confessions of the Flesh (2018).
Which work introduced Foucault's concept of the 'archaeology' of the human sciences?
This concept was central to Les mots et les choses (1966), translated as The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences.
When was 'Madness and Civilization' first published in French?
The original French version, Histoire de la folie à l'âge classique – Folie et déraison, was published in 1961.
What is the relationship between 'The Discourse on Language' and 'Archaeology of Knowledge'?
L'ordre du discours (1971) appears as "The Discourse on Language" (pages 215–37) within the English translation of Archaeology of Knowledge published by Pantheon in 1972.