Managing Life, Controlling Territory: The Philosophical Origins of Biopolitics and Geopolitics 3800-BGP25-S-OG
During the seminar, we will analyze how biopolitical and geopolitical concepts evolved to justify colonial exploitation or ethnic cleansing. We will consider why state borders were marked not only by the sword, but also by medicine, demographic statistics, and reproductive rights. We will reach for texts that show that “governing life” is not an abstraction, but a concrete technique of power closely linked to geopolitics.
Meeting order:
1. The body politic: Hierarchy of the body politic, System of the body politic, Body of the Church, Body of the Kingdom
Readings: A. Nogal, Body politic, [in:] The birth of biopolitics and the crisis of human rights; E. Kantorowicz, Chapter III – “The king is dying” [...] Two bodies of the king
How were classical metaphors of the body politic, associated with power and hierarchy, developed and transformed into modern concepts of biopolitics, where the management of “life” becomes a central aspect of political power?
2. The body of the state as a modern mode of power.
Readings: T. Hobbes, Chapter XVII: "On the causes, origin and definition of the state", [in:] Leviathan or matter, form... , C. Schmitt – "On how Leviathan fell victim to its own idea"
How did Carl Schmitt reformulate the philosophical assumptions of Thomas Hobbes? Is biopolitics a modern paradigm of state power?
3. Social Darwinism:
Readings: Ch. Darwin, "On the Descent of Man" (chapter 5), G. Mosse, "Social Darwinism and its application in the 19th and 20th centuries", [in:] "Social Darwinism: The History of One Idea",
What similarities and differences can be seen between Darwin's views on human evolution and the application of his theory in social Darwinism, which Mosse writes about? Can the theories presented by Darwin and their later applications in social Darwinism be treated as an element of the development of biopolitics? If so, how?
4. Population as a subject of natural science research:
Readings: T. Malthus, Discourse on the Law of Population and its Impact on the Future Progress of Society, H. Spencer, The Social Organism
What connects Hobbes's concept of the state and Malthus's theory of population? How do both theories treat authority over the lives of individuals, especially in the context of the development of the state and society? Did the development of sociology link individuals with the social organism?
5. The birth of biopolitics and geopolitics: anthropogeography
Readings: P. Eberhardt, "Anthropogeographic and geopolitical views of Friedrich Ratzel", Przegląd Geograficzny" (2015), J. Macała, "Friedrich Ratzel as the creator of German Geopolitik" A. Nogal, The birth of biopolitics, [in:] The birth of biopolitics and the crisis of human rights
6. Geopolitics in the service of empire. Colonialism: Medicine, Race and Space
Readings: "Eugenics: History and Controversies" – Tomasz Ławniczak; "History of Eugenics" – Robert N. Procto; "Eugenics and Racism: History of an Idea" – Katarzyna Płoszaj Eugenics as a Science. "Science and Politics in the Service of Eugenics. Outline of History" – Tadeusz S. Wójcik, "The Beginnings of Eugenics in Poland" – Elżbieta Żądło
Stoler, Race and the Education of Desire (fragment on mixed marriages)
Césaire, A Treatise on Colonialism
Questions: Why were colonial hospitals a tool of control? How did the idea of "racial purity" shape the borders of empires?
7. Biopolitical States or Genocide as a Result of the Absence of States?
Readings: Timothy Snyder, "Hitler's World", "The Ecology of Anti-Semitism", "New Spaces and New Orders", [in:] "Black Earths", Z. Bauman, Modernity and the Holocaust.
8. A Turn to the Geopolitics of Assessments
K. Haushofer, Geopolitics of the Pacific Ocean, C. Schmitt, "The Nomos of the Earth",
Does Geopolitics Define the Foundations of International Law? Has Competition for Land Been Replaced by Competition for Dominion over the Oceans?
9. Critique of Biopolitics: The Weakness of Human Rights.
Readings H. Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism (fragment on camps)
Do human rights really protect the weakest?
10. Critique of Biopolitics: Liberal States Readings: Foucault, Surveillance and Punishment, The History of Sexuality; G. Agamben, Chapter V Homo Sacer and Political Exclusion, Critique of the Idea of Sovereignty, Critique of Human Rights
Agamben, What Remains of Auschwitz ("Naked Life"); Esposito, Bios (chapter 1)
Are Liberal States the Opposition or Continuation of Biopolitics/Geopolitics?
11. Film: "Epidemic" (1995) - Analysis of Quarantine Scenes.
12. Does the Contemporary Return of Biopolitical and Geopolitical Theories Presage War? Readings: A. Dugin, The Fourth Political Theory, A. Dugin, The Manifesto of the Great Awakening and Wartime Writings.
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
The student knows and understands:
K_W01, in-depth the place and importance of political philosophy in relation to political science and law, the subject and methodological specificity of political philosophy
K_W02, in-depth research methods and argumentative strategies of political philosophy
K_W03, specialized philosophical terminology in the field of political philosophy in Polish
K_W05, main directions of development and the most important new achievements in political philosophy in the field of the biopolitics and geopolitics.
K_W06, selected directions and development positions of contemporary philosophy in the field of political philosophy in relation to the biopolitics and geopolitics,
K_W07, in-depth state of research in the field of research on political culture and the biopolitics and geopolitics.
K_W08, in-depth understanding of the norms constituting and regulating social structures and institutions, as well as the sources of these norms, their nature, change and ways of influencing human behavior
K_W09, in-depth the comprehensive nature of the language of political philosophy and the historical variability of its meanings
K_W10, in-depth the role of philosophical reflection in shaping policy
K_W11, in greater detail the relationship between the development of philosophical ideas and changes in culture, society and the political sphere of the society;
Acquired skills:
The graduate is able to:
K_U01, interpret a philosophical text independently, comment creatively and innovatively and confront theses from various texts
K_U02, determine the degree of importance of the theses presented for the examined problem or argumentation
K_U03, analyze complex philosophical arguments, identify the theses and assumptions that constitute them, establish logical and argumentative relationships between theses
K_U04, identify advanced argumentative strategies in oral and written statements
K_U06, creatively and innovatively use philosophical and methodological knowledge in formulating hypotheses and constructing critical arguments
K_U07, precisely formulate complex philosophical problems in speech and writing; put forward theses and comment critically on them
K_U08, select and create argumentation strategies, construct advanced and innovative critical arguments, formulate comprehensive responses to criticism
K_U10, write creative monographic studies based on independently selected literature, using original, innovative approaches and taking into account new achievements in the field of political philosophy and the biopolitics and geopolitics.
K_U13, search and select information from written and electronic sources, with creative use of professional search tools
K_U14 independently acquire knowledge, develop research skills and plan research projects (including group ones)
K_U16, detect relationships between the development of philosophical ideas and social and cultural processes and determine the relationships between these relationships
Acquired social competences:
The graduate is ready to:
K_K01, identifying their knowledge and skills
K_K02, recognizing gaps in one's knowledge and skills and looking for opportunities to eliminate these gaps
K_K03, independently undertaking and initiating professional activities as well as planning and organizing their course
K_K04, noticing and formulating ethical problems related to one's own research work and responsibility towards colleagues and other members of society, and being active in solving these problems
K_K05 active participation in social and cultural life; is interested in innovative philosophical concepts in connection with other parts of cultural and social life and encourages the implementation of these concepts
Assessment criteria
Assessment methods and criteria: activity (participation in discussion, preparation) – 25%; independent presentation of the material (selection of additional literature, discussion, ability to indicate the main problem and argumentation) – 25%; preparation of the final version of the presentation (taking into account the course of the discussion) – 50%
Number of absences: 2 in a semester
Bibliography
A. Nogal, Narodziny biopolityki i kryzys praw człowieka; E. Kantorowicz, Dwa ciała króla, T. Hobbes, Lewiatan czyli materia, forma... , C. Schmitt – „O tym, jak Lewiatan padł ofiarą swojej własnej idei”, Ch. Darwin, "O pochodzeniu człowieka" (rozdział 5), G. Mosse, „"Darwinizm społeczny: Historia jednej idei”, T. Malthus, Rozprawa o prawie ludności jego oddziaływaniu na przyszły postęp społeczeństwa, H. Spencer, The Social Organism, P. Eberhardt, „Poglądy antropogeograficzne i geopolityczne Friedricha Ratzla”, Przegląd Geograficzny” (2015), J. Macała, „Friedrich Ratzel jako twórca niemieckiej Geopolitik”, "Eugenika: Historia i kontrowersje" – Tomasz Ławniczak; "Historia eugeniki" – Robert N. Procto; "Eugenika i rasizm: historia idei" – Katarzyna Płoszaj Eugenika jako nauka. „Nauka i polityka w służbie eugenice. Zarys historii" – Tadeusz S. Wójcik, "Początki eugeniki w Polsce" – Elżbieta Żądło, Stoler, Race and the Education of Desire, Césaire, Rozprawa o kolonializmie, Timothy Snyder, "Czarne ziemie", Z. Bauman, Nowoczesność i zagładam, K Haushofer, geopolitics of the Pacific Ocean, C. Schmitt, „Nomos Ziemi”, H. Arendt, Korzenie totalitaryzmu, M. Foucault, nadzorować i karać, Historia seksualności; G. Agamben, Homo sacer, G. Agamben, Co zostało z Auschwitz; Esposito, Bios, A. Dugin, Czwarta teoria polityczna, A. Dugin, Manifest Wielkiego Przebudzenia i pisma czasu wojny.
Additional information
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