"Becker on Ewald on Foucault on Becker": American Neoliberalism and Michel Foucault's 1979 Birth of Biopolitics Lectures

Authors

Gary S. BeckerFollow
Francois EwaldFollow
Bernard E. Harcourt, Columbia Law SchoolFollow

Document Type

Working Paper

Publication Date

2012

Abstract

In a series of lectures delivered in 1979 at the Collège de France under the title The Birth of Biopolitics, Michel Foucault conducted a close reading of Gary Becker’s writings on human capital and on crime and punishment, within the context of an elaboration and critique of American neoliberalism. Foucault was assisted at the time, at the Collège de France, by François Ewald. Since then, there has been ongoing debate over Foucault’s views about neoliberalism. In this historic meeting at the University of Chicago between Professors Becker and Ewald, Professor Ewald presents a framework to understand Foucault’s writings on Becker; Professor Bernard Harcourt offers a different reading of Foucault’s views on neoliberalism; and Professor Becker responds to Foucault’s lectures and to possible critical readings of his work on human capital. Apology or critique – that is the motivating question in this rich encounter between contemporary French philosophy and American economic theory.

Disciplines

Law | Law and Economics | Law and Philosophy | Law and Politics | Law and Society

Recommended Citation

Gary S. Becker, Francois Ewald & Bernard E. Harcourt, "Becker on Ewald on Foucault on Becker": American Neoliberalism and Michel Foucault's 1979 Birth of Biopolitics Lectures, University of Chicago Institute for Law & Economics Olin Research Paper No. 614; U of Chicago Public Law Working Paper No. 401 (2012).
Available at: https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/1762