A Comment On Foucault's Theory Of Deconstructing Subject And Multiculturalism

Michel Foucault was the most outstanding philosopher In the 20th century. His influence transcended the category of philosophy and affected to each aspect of society. Foucault paid his attention to subject all through his academic career.From Madness and Civilization to The History of Sexuality ,Foucault inspected and analyzed how subject developed to knowledge subject,power subject and ethical subject.He proposed three ways to deconstruct the subject,they were the archaeology of knowledge,the resistance to power,and the aesthetics of existence.As one of the founders of postmodernity,Foucault's theory drove the development of the postmodernity.Foucault's theory provided the precious evidence and open a new thought direction for the postmodernity.The social attitude toward the different culture had developeted from monism to pluralism.The multiculturalism which developted in the postmodern context,try very hard to defend the cultural diversity,and insist on a point that we should respect and admit the difference.The reason of the upsurge of the multiculturalism was complicated.The multiculturalism had the solid philosophical basis,we can not summarize what is"multiculturalism"in one word,because it had the abstruse connotation and the wide extension.This paper compares multiculturalism with Foucault's theory and find that they have the common feature of spirit.It was not the accidental. Foucault's theory drove the development of postmodernity ,and the multiculturalism developted in the postmodern context,so it inevitable have the colour of the postmodernity. Foucault's theory influenced the multiculturalism,it used as the reference to multiculturalism.Although the relationship between them is not systematic and intentional,it could not hinder Foucault's theory become the theoretical basis of multiculturalism.It is better for us to understand multiculturalism when we compare Foucault's theory with it. Foucault's theory gives us a new way to understand multiculturalism, it shows us in epistemology and methodology.Comparing multiculturalism with Foucault's theory is of far-reaching significance.With the development of globalization,a complete isolated culture or cultural group is not exist.it is impersonality require and need choice for us to admit and respect the difference.To seek common ground while reserving differences is the request of the world.Although Foucault's theory has some idealized colour,and the development of multiculturalism are faced with a host of difficulties,we will never stop to search for the Harmony and Development.