Abnormal : Lectures at the College De France 1974-75

Michel Foucault remains one of the towering intellectual figures of the last half century. Michel Foucault's works on sexuality, madness, the prison and medicine are classics and his example continues to challenge and inspire. The philosopher gave public lectures at the College de France from 1971 until his death in 1984 - these lectures were seminal events and created benchmarks for contemporary critical inquiry. The lectures comprising "Abnormal" begin by examining the role of psychiatry in modern criminal justice and its method of categorizing individuals who "resemble their crime before they commit it." Michel Foucault shows how and why defining "abnormality" and "normality" were prerogatives of power in the 19th century and shaped the institutions. The College de France lectures add to our appreciation of the philosopher's thought and offer a unique window into his way of thinking.