Running head: HOW ROSE USES THE GENEALOGICAL APPROACH 1

How Rose uses the Genealogical Approach

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How Rose uses the Genealogical Approach

Genealogy usually looks at the transformation of the historical events associated with a

certain concept and the knowledge and philosophical assumptions that have been incorporated.

Hence, it compares the past and the present while seeking the rationality that people should adopt

in analyzing certain issues such as the sexuality and democracy. Governing Advanced Liberal

Democracies by Nikolas Rose analyzes how liberalism has changed over the years and its

benefits to the electorates. This essay will reveal how Rose uses genealogy in showing the

history of the liberal rule, showing the relationships between knowledge, politics and the human

subjects as well as the power dynamics in the society.

Rose (1996) relies on genealogy to discuss the limits of power in politics and how the

society can make the changes in making the relations more productive. In particular, the insights

reveal how power has been associated with authority and politics. For instance, the political

institutions believe that they are the ones that retain the responsibility of determining various

tasks that should be undertaken in the society (Dean, 2002). However, they have ignored the

non-political bodies that also have the ability to identify how certain activities should be done. In

this case, Rose (1996) uses genealogy in discussing the limits that have confined the society into

believing that they are powerless. The reading also highlights that the political forces and the

technical procedures do not retain the capacity to control the electorates. Instead, they also have

the liberal or democratic duty of seeking what will benefit them in the long-run.

Furthermore, Rose (1996) uses genealogy in looking at the conventional history of the

liberal rule and how it relates to reason and rationality. In the process, Rose (1996) is able to

highlight the three prepositions that reveal how the liberal rule has transformed over the years.

For instance, he shows how the nineteen century had liberalism that focused on the philosophical
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assumptions that evaluated how people lived or even engaged in various economic activities. The

analysis also shifts to the twentieth century where the political powers enhanced their expertise

and expanded their authority over various institutions in the society (Rose, 1996). Lastly, he even

talks about the advanced liberal rule shifting to the morals and treating the electorates with the

equity needed (Rose, 1996). More importantly, genealogy is used in capturing the history while

illustrating the reason that is incorporated in the liberal rule. It also urges people to be more

vigilant and seek a change when the leaders seem to make irrational choices.

Rose (1996) also utilizes genealogy in revealing the relationship between power, the

electorates and knowledge too. More importantly, he wants the human subjects to understand

that they can play a huge role in running the government. In fact, the advanced liberal rule insists

on the electorates making major decisions in determining how the society is managed. It is also

clear that the dynamics of the power relations and how the non-political institution also retains

some crucial responsibilities (Foucault, 1998). The advanced liberal rule also focuses on the

sensitization of the electorates and ensuring that they have the right information. Ignorance

usually places them at a vulnerable point where they can be exploited quite easily. However,

knowledge gives them the power that they can use in criticizing the leaders and urging them to

undertake their official roles (Rose, 1996). The critical approach usually gives the electorates an

upper hand and makes sure that the leaders have to comply with the moral values so that they can

retain their positions.

In conclusion, Rose has used genealogy in capturing some of the essential concepts used

in defining how the liberal rule works in the society. For instance, the historical analysis plays a

significant role in showing the transformation of liberalism. The connection of power,

electorates, and knowledge is also critical in sensitizing the society to be more vigilant.
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References

Rose, N. (1996). Governing Advanced Liberal Democracies, in Barry, Andrew, Thomas

Osborne, and Nikolas Rose, eds. Foucault and Political Reason. Chicago: Chicago UP.

Foucault, M. (1998). Nietzsche, Genealogy, History, in The Foucault, Reader. Paul Rabinow,

ed. Donald F. Bouchard and Sherry Simon, trans. New York: New Pantheon. 76-10.

Dean, M. (2002). Liberal Government and Authoritarianism. Economy and Society, 31:1 37-61.