Power, knowledge, and breaking with existing structures. The French philosopher Michel Foucault (1926–1984) wrote about how our identity is connected to the (power) structures in which we find ourselves, such as a university, a family, or a heteronormative society. In what ways do the systems around us shape our identity? And above all: can we break with existing hierarchies?
- Date
- Wednesday 28 Jan 2026, 16:00 - 17:30
- Type
- Lecture
- Spoken Language
- English
- Location
Erasmus Paviljoen
During the lecture Foucault Now!, prof. dr. Marli Huijer discusses Michel Foucault’s theories of power, his concept of parrhesia (truth-telling), and our centuries-long fixation on identities. He does not see power and hierarchy as something imposed from above; rather, it is something present within all of us, something we grant to ourselves, and which we therefore also see reflected in our daily interactions such as language. How can his work help us to look more critically at ourselves and the world around us today? Can we look beyond the present and attain true freedom?
Prof. dr. Marli Huijer is Emeritus Professor of Public Philosophy at the Erasmus School of Philosophy, Erasmus, chair of the Month of Philosophy Foundation, columnist for daily newspaper Trouw and former “Denker des Vaderlands”. Huijer's research focuses on the philosophy of man and culture. She is particularly interested in the question of how people come to order. How do we organize time? How do techniques and devices organize public space?
This lecture is organized by Studium Generale.
- More information
Date: Wednesday 28 January 2026
Time: 16:00-17:30 hrs. (Doors open: 15:40 hrs.)
Location: Erasmus Paviljoen
Moderation: Lenya SlierendrechtTicket information
Entrance: Free, reservations highly recommended.
