Language, Words, and Power in Michel Foucault’s Views and the Study of Politics, Peace and Conflict in Thailand’s Deep South in These Days

Abstract

This article aims to discuss about Michel Foucault’s formation of discourse, which involves the complex operations of language and power. Foucault could make an elaboration of transformative processes from words, statements and dialogues to the construction of power. Discourse has been through struggles and contestations within networks and relationship of statements within the fields called discursive incidence. In these open fields, objects of discourse are capable of exercising influence in a practical world. Most importantly, we view the construction of power in the discourse not by consideration of speakers or subjects of words and statements as significant agencies, but primarily gazing at relations of statements as well as spaces where discursive objects themselves emerge and consequently unfold. In the process, objects of discourse simultaneously emerge, overlap, depend on, compete and mutually contradict. Eventually, they have all transformed together in certain ways within this complicated field of relations. Thus, one can say that power is dispersed, like discourse,  while there is no subjects, it could be intentional.  And where there is power, there exists resistance. Development of policy discourse on the solution of problems in the Deep South of Thailand has unfolded in accordance to the contestation of discursive processes. The discursivity and struggles of language have continued until these days.