Governmentality and the Ignatian Subject: A Foucauldian Reading of Jesuit Spirituality

This article applies Michel Foucault’s understanding of governmentality to Ignatius Loyola’s spirituality. M. Foucault himself references Ignatius, and the recent interest in spiritual exercises includes attention to Ignatian practises in relation to M. Foucault. After explaining the essential eleme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCahiers d'études du religieux Vol. 27
Main Author Knotts, Matthew W
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cahiers d’études du religieux. Recherches interdisciplinaires 17.07.2025
Centre interdisciplinaire d’Études du Religieux (CIER)
Subjects
governmentality
Ignatius of Loyola
Michel Foucault
Society of Jesus
spiritual exercises
subject
Ignatius of Loyola
gouvernementalité
Compagnie de Jésus
Society of Jesus
governmentality
Michel Foucault
subject
spiritual exercises
Ignace de Loyola
sujet
exercices spirituels
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Summary:This article applies Michel Foucault’s understanding of governmentality to Ignatius Loyola’s spirituality. M. Foucault himself references Ignatius, and the recent interest in spiritual exercises includes attention to Ignatian practises in relation to M. Foucault. After explaining the essential elements of governmentality – rationalities and technologies for the formation of the subject –, I consider how these are present in Ignatius’ spirituality and that of the Jesuits. Then I consider a case study of one particular technology of Ignatian spirituality, imaginative contemplation. This study reveals in detail how the rationalities and practises of the Jesuits can be interpreted through M. Foucault’s conception of governmentality.
ISSN:1760-5776
1760-5776
DOI:10.4000/14dke