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From: "Ben B. Day" <bday@xxxxxxxxxx>
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Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 01:22:34 -0500 (EST)
> I always thought that a Foucauldian history of the discusive status
> and institution of style would be really interesting, as the history of an
> idea.
Stuart Ewen's _All Consuming Images: The Politics of Style in Contemporary
Culture_ offers, in the course of an analysis of style, a history spanning
at least the shift towards mass production (which, of course, is when
style becomes a society-wide phenomenon, and not just an aristocratic
trapping). Although it would be unfair to characterize Ewen as a
Foucauldian, there is definitely a Foucauldian influence here, and he
explicitly takes up Foucault's depiction of panopticism in his treatment
of architectural styles.
This is also, in my opinion, one of the greatest works of cultural
criticism to be found anywhere. I highly recommend it.
----Ben
