Spaces of dispersion
From Geography
Foucault's spaces of dispersion is a term that extends the way in which elements are related to each other. This space comes to being as a hypothetical or plane space, on which all aspects of a certain study are presented or dispersed (Philo, 2000, p. 218). Its goal is not to disperse them as a homogenized unity, but rather to show its richness in defference. The juxtaposing helps in order not to go towards a totalizing history, but rather a general history showing details and difference that Foucault is striving for (Philo, 2000, p. 219). By describing the general history you can deploy the space of a dispersion. A total description of elements as a principle, a meaning, a spirit, a world-view and an overall shape can be described around a single centre. The spaces of dispersion between these elements can give an insight in the way how these elements are related to each other. What happens to ones world-view if ones meaning changes. Not only gives the space of a dispersion insight in the relation between the individual elements, also series of elements can be compared to each other. If in one chain a link changes what are the consequences in another chain? All of these mutual connections form the space of a dispersion.
References
Burchell,G. ,Gordon, C., & Miller, P. (1991). The Limits of Governmental Rationality. Founded at 9 October 2010 at http://www.ualberta.ca/~di/csh/csh09/Burchell.html
Foucault, M. (1969). Archaeology of knowlegde. Founded at 9 October 2010 at http://books.google.nl/books?hl=nl&lr=&id=Ma77jxOOmBcC&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=spaces+of+dispersion+foucault&ots=YivBLaEOlI&sig=jmyn3vjM4_X-xx_ILPSE8XsP1M8#v=onepage&q&f=false
Philo, C. (2000) Foucault's geography. Thinking space, Routledge London pp. 205-238
Contributors
Published by Tobias Geerdink and Robbert Vossers
Links added by Aafke Brus --AafkeBrus 08:59, 7 November 2011 (CET)
--AnneStrien 10:05, 10 October 2012 (CEST)
