Focusing on the evolution of school counseling, the author critiques its student-centered, nonjudgmental approach while exploring the philosophical implications of self and identity. Utilizing a Foucauldian lens, the book delves into the complexities surrounding adolescents and youth, who are the main clients in this field. It highlights the shifting perceptions of identity and the inherent challenges faced by contemporary counseling practices in addressing these issues.
This book focuses on Foucault's later work and his (re)turn to 'the hermeneutics of the subject', exploring the implications of his thinking for education, pedagogy, and related disciplines. What and who is the subject of education and what are the forms of self-constitution? Chapters investigate Foucault's notion of 'the culture of self' in relation to questions concerning truth (parrhesia or free speech) and subjectivity, especially with reference to the literary genres of confession and biography, and the contemporary political forms of individualization (governmentality).