Article 1: Michael Foucault, ‘Of Other Spaces: Utopias and Heterotopias’

Architecture/Mouvement/Continuité (October 1984) originally from a lecture ‘Des Espaces Autres’, (March 1967), trans. Jay Miskowiec.

Michel Foucault who is French historian and philosopher born in 1926. He wrote several works from psychology to sociology, from biology to criminology. While Foucault adopted Kant and Friedrich Nietzsche in his works, he refused Hegelianism and Marxism. Also, He generally researched the problems that sexuality, emotional suffering and exclusion topics. Foucault examined his critiques both practical and theoretical. For example, instead of just write about jail; he promoted protest. (Encyclopaedia Britanica,2017)

According to Foucault, there are two different spaces. These are “Utopia” which sites without places and the other is “Heterotopia’’ which sites between other places and utopias (Foucault, 1984). Foucault begins by analyzing heterotopias, focusing on the spatial phenomenon. Foucault describes it as a period of time that we are in.

Foucault’s work ‘Of Other Spaces: Utopia’s and Heterotopias’ (1967) investigates the communal and historical variety of spaces which he names ‘Heterotopias.’ He mentioned six basic principles in describing heterotopias as a space and gives various examples of them. The text was intended for a specialist audience because it includes many particular words and definitions such as, ‘utopia’, ‘heterotopia’, ‘temporal heterotopia’. The audiences need philosophical background to understand these terms. According to Foucault (1984), spatial decomposition in this period was shaped by dual opposites. Sacred and earthly places, urban and rural places etc. According to Foucault, this is a dwelling place. However, this kind of spatial perception has ended with Galileo.

Image 1:  CIRCA 1910. “BATHING AT WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA.” 8×10 INCH DRY PLATE GLASS NEGATIVE, DETROIT PUBLISHING COMPANY. Posted by  Hodgepodge and Miscellany (2012) Image source: https://billydie.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/at-the-beach/

 

Foucault (1984:3) said that: ‘’ One could describe, via the cluster of relations that allows them to be defined, the sites of temporary relaxation—cafes, cinemas, beaches. Likewise, one could describe, via its network of relations, the closed or semi-closed sites of rest—the house, the bedroom, the bed, et cetera.’’ According to Foucault, the position is within a whole of relations can be described. In this way, only the areas where unique social relations are developed it gains meaning.

Image 2: Sighisoara old German cemetery photographed by Acaro (2005) Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sighisoara_old_German_cemetery.JPG

Another principle Foucault puts forth is concerned with the social functions of heterotopias. Heterotopia can be loaded with different functions from society. Historical changes and transformations can also change the functions of heterotrophs. Foucault exemplifies cemeteries in this regard and Western society expresses that cemeteries are loaded with different functions in connection with periodic conditions. In this context, Facoult (1984:5) declares that ‘’ The cemetery is certainly a place, unlike ordinary cultural spaces. It is a space that is however connected with all the sites of the city, state or society or village, etc. In western culture, the cemetery has practically always existed.’’

The third fundamental principle concerns the spatial properties of heterotopias. According to Facoult (1984:6); ‘’ The heterotopia is capable of juxtaposing in a single real place several spaces, several sites that are in themselves incompatible.’’ Foucault exemplifies theater and cinema as examples. Theater and cinema halls bring together both real space and people, as well as fictional space and personalities. Theater and cinema halls bring together both fictional space and personalities, bringing both real space and people together.

The fourth principle concerns the temporal dimension of heterotopias. The heterotrophs provide temporary division. In heterotrophs, a break from the traditional times of people, the entry into another temporal regulation.

General Questions:

1.      What are the other heterotopias as a space in today’s world? (In addition to the examples given by Foucault)

2.      What do you think about individual functions of heterotopias?

References:

Faubion, J. (2017) Michel Foucault Available at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michel-Foucault#toc224986 ( Accessed: 07 October 2017)