ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a short introduction to some of the most important concepts and themes dealt with by Michel Foucault's work, namely those of archaeology, archive, discourse, statement, episteme, genealogy, power, knowledge, sexuality and historicity. Foucault's work, which can be classified with difficulty amongst the academic disciplines, continues to influence social sciences in general, and sociology in particular. The genealogical analysis of discourse keeps to a principle of outward appearance in relation to discourse itself. The analysis of 'positivities' is designated by the term 'archaeology'. An 'archaeological' investigation seeks to define the formation rules that characterize a set of statements. Analysis focuses on the homogeneous fields of regularity in the statement practices, which characterize and make a discursive formation, but also statement heterogeneities possible. Investigation concerning the knowledge produced as regards mental alienation is an example of both 'archaeological' and epistemic analyses.
