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Michel Foucault (1926±84) was, from 1970 until his death, Professor of the History of Systems of Thought in Paris. He surely will be remembered as one of the great thinkers of the twentieth century. The literature on him and his work, not to mention that inspired by his methods, concepts and concerns, is already vast. 1 The range and depth of his scholarship is astonishing. He wrote detailed histories of madness, psychology, medicine, the human sciences, the penal system, and Greek and Roman ethics. These historical studies drew on, and also inspired, philosophical explorations into meaning, rationality, truth, power, and subjectivity. What is more, he made a number of forays into modern literature and current affairs. Few scholars have straddled so effectively such diverse areas within the humanities and social sciences. Foucault's importance derives not only from his impressive scholarship, but also from his …