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Power in a foucaultian and gramscian sense:____.

a) works top down, from rulers to ruled.
b) involves knowledge and representation.
c) operates in conditions of equal relations.

User Jola
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Final answer:

Power in a Foucaultian and Gramscian sense involves knowledge and representation, as both philosophers view power as networking throughout society and maintaining control via cultural and ideological leadership rather than purely coercive means.

Step-by-step explanation:

Regarding power in a Foucaultian sense, it does not simply work top-down; instead, Michel Foucault viewed power as a network that is omnipresent in society, affecting the production of knowledge and the social order. Foucault conceptualized power as something that is exercised through biopower and the institutions that regulate citizens' everyday lives, such as healthcare, education, and the judicial system. In contrast, Antonio Gramsci introduced the idea of hegemony to describe how a dominant class maintains control over others, not only through economic means but also through cultural and ideological leadership. Gramsci argued that the ruling class maintains power by promoting and normalizing values and beliefs that keep the status quo, a method subtle enough to be accepted by those who are dominated without questioning it.

So, when considering the statement "power in a Foucaultian and Gramscian sense," the best answer is b) involves knowledge and representation, since both theorists emphasize the subtle and cultural mechanisms through which power is maintained and its connection to knowledge and normalization within society.

User Valentin Shergin
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