Deconstructing Democracy: A Foucauldian Approach to the Politics of Inclusion and Exclusion

Abstract

This paper rigorously analyses democracy from a Foucauldian perspective, deconstructing its assertion of universality by revealing the nuanced power dynamics that dictate inclusion and exclusion within its structure. Utilizing Michel Foucault’s theories of power/knowledge, discourse, and biopolitics, the study contends that democratic institutions not only ensure participation but also govern, discipline, and normalize citizens, so perpetuating structural inequalities. This analysis of political subjectivity examines how democratic rhetoric facilitates agency while simultaneously imposing exclusionary boundaries, particularly regarding class, gender, race, and citizenship. The paper enhances political theory by reconceptualizing democracy not as an impartial realm of liberty but as a contentious arena where power is perpetually disputed, rejected, and redefined. This Foucauldian perspective enables the rethinking of more inclusive and liberating forms of democratic practice.