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With , UCL Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry

Foucault’s series of books addressingÌýThe History of Sexuality—three of which were published during his lifetime, and the fourth posthumously—are well known. Volume I,ÌýThe Will to Knowledge, has been especially influential on understandings of sexual orientation as socially constructed, not a natural, pre-discursive feature of the self. However, Foucault also discussed sexuality and sexual orientation across a series of interviews, and his comments in these interviews are far less attended to. In this talk, I will draw out the central themes of Foucault’s comments to show that he has a coherent philosophy of sexuality that is vitally relevant to contemporary culture. This philosophy stresses sexuality as a creative activity: a becoming, rather than the adoption of an identity. I will draw particular attention to the relationship between homosexuality and philosophy that emerges for Foucault, and ask how Foucault can be useful in navigating current discussions about gender and sexuality.

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Image credit:Ìý,Ìý, via Wikimedia Commons

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