Foucault's personal politics and the political implications of his thought have provoked a good deal of debate and even more speculation, but so far no one has attempted a systemic review of Foucault’s political thought. Foucault & the Political does just that. It is the first major study to introduce Foucault as a political theorist.
In addition, Jon Simons examines Foucault’s' work in the context of contemporary political theory and traces its links with current gays and feminist thought.
Foucault & the Political will be essential reading for students of Foucault, for students of political and social theory, and for all those working in lesbian and feminist studies.

It is impossible to imagine contemporary critical theory without the work of Michel Foucault. His radical reworkings of the concepts of power, knowledge, discourse and identity have influenced the widest possible range of theories and impacted upon disciplinary fields from literary studies to anthropology. Aimed at students approaching Foucault's texts for the first time, this volume offers:
* an examination of Foucault's contexts
* a guide to his key ideas
* an overview of responses to his work
* practical hints on 'using Foucault'
* an annotated guide to his most influential works
* suggestions for further reading.
Challenging not just what we think but how we think, Foucault's work remains the subject of heated debate. Sara Mills' Michel Foucault offers an introduction to both the ideas and the debate, fully equipping student readers for an encounter with this most influential of thinkers.