A Genealogy of Morality. Embedding Nietzsche’s thought and method into the study of morality and crime

Abstract

'A Genealogy of Morality' asserts a twofold approach: the first half is concerned with positioning Nietzsche’s thought in the philosophico-anthropological discourse on morality and crime between 1850 and 1900, a period that found itself obsessed with concepts such as ‘degeneration’ and ‘race’. The second half sets out to uncover the essential components that together make up what is sometimes referred to as philosophical genealogy or the genealogical method, as it was proposed by Nietzsche. This discussion is then further extended to Foucault’s chief works. Both his archaeologies and genealogies are clearly influenced by Nietzsche’s thinking, and as the analysis shows, genealogy as a method is present in almost all of his works. Through the genealogical project the body is turned against what it stands for, and is made to question the origins of our modern values, as a part of a revaluation of all values. Whilst maintaining a most important philosophical perspective, the genealogy is at the same time deeply historically rooted. Therein, it is argued, lies its power as a method for the philosopher, criminologist and historian.