The genealogy of cultural knowledge and its requirements

Abstract

The genealogy of fact by Michel Foucault presented to the knowledge of humankind from a historical perspective. In
his view, human understanding as an existence have ontological characteristics. It is also inspired with and follows
of an extra-discursive order which causes the dialectic between power and knowledge. In this article, Michel
Foucault’s theory of genealogy of knowledge explicated from strategically perspective to explanation the arena of
cultural issues. The power -knowledge dialectic; epistemological break and power micro-physical design were the
main elements of theory which were considered as critical in the initiatives of cultural policies and relevant
strategies. The article considered the previous mentioned order which shaped discursive, meaning and power with
special attention to the cultural developments of Iran. The article first studied the history of epistemology in the
West, after which it described a genealogical model which is based on the understanding of facts as the product of
a historical and imaginary institutionalized order. Then the problem of identity is discussed and it is claimed that
Iranian culture has three components which include modernity, nationality and religion. The main criticisms made
on the theory of Michel Foucault on cultural public policy were the challenge of man’s conscious choices and the
impractical interpretation of an ideal society.