Lectures at the Collège de France

Michel Foucault

Michel Foucault's seminal lectures from 1975-76, delivered at the Collège de France, are presented in "Society Must Be Defended." This work delves into the profound shift in understanding society that emerged in the early 17th century, where war was re conceptualized not as an exceptional event, but as the fundamental and permanent basis of social order. Foucault meticulously traces the historical and philosophical underpinnings of this new paradigm, exploring how concepts of power, sovereignty, and the state became inextricably linked to the notion of ongoing conflict. Through his characteristic incisive analysis, Foucault challenges conventional historical narratives and offers a radical new perspective on the very foundations of modern political thought and social organization.