Agamben's Biopolitics in China

Agamben’s biopolitics enters China and arouses great interest due to its close relation with the important topics of concern in China at present. Agamben’s biopolitics is influenced by Foucault’s thought and Agamben uses the term “biopolique” put forward by Foucault. In the process of translating this term, Chinese scholars have been deepening their understanding of biopolitics. Chinese scholars’ understanding of and reflection on Agamben’s biopolitics are mainly manifested in three aspects. In epistemology, Chinese scholars have analyzed human being’s living situation at present from the perspective of Agamben’ biopolitics and revealed the possible crisis of life. Methodologically, it is believed that Agamben has developed the philosophical archaeology, genealogy, paradigm, and other methods to investigate the ancient in order to identify the present, which is helpful to eliminate the essentialist mode about knowledge production. Practically, Chinese scholars have reflexively criticized the “inoperative” political practice concept proposed by Agamben that invalidates the managerial apparatus, and further advance their thinking of the political subject and the political action.