Yes — beyond Foucault, Michael White did indeed draw upon Deleuze (and Guattari) in the development of narrative therapy, especially in its later stages. Here’s how that unfolded:
1.
Foucault as a Foundational Influence
White extensively engaged with Michel Foucault’s work, especially around discourse and power:
- He understood that dominant narratives shape our identities and limit agency .
- Themes like externalizing the problem, challenging normative discourses, and exploring subjugated knowledges stem directly from a Foucauldian framework .
2.
Late Engagement with Deleuze & Guattari
🔹 Deleuze
By the late 2000s, White was exploring Deleuzian concepts:
- In his final workshops (March 2008), he discussed deterritorialization and reterritorialization — key ideas from Deleuze and Guattari .
- Colleagues confirm he was excited by Deleuze, exploring how our identities are always in flux, and how narrative therapy could open “lines of flight” for people, enabling them to move toward new modes of being .
🔹 Guattari
Though less directly cited, the influence is notable:
- His collaborative work with Deleuze on power, affect, and desire resonates with narrative practice’s attention to affective flows and embodied experience .
3.
Why This Matters for Narrative Therapy
|
Deleuzian/Guattarian Concept |
How It Enriches Narrative Therapy |
|
Lines of Flight |
Supports people to escape constraining narratives and experiment with new storylines |
|
Deterritorialization |
Encourages breaking away from identity labels or power impositions |
|
Reterritorialization |
Helps individuals reconfigure and stabilize new, preferred sense of self |
4.
Supporting Evidence from Experts
- Therapists have confirmed:
“Michael White read widely and became interested in Deleuze toward the end of his life… Todd May’s introductory lectures… were given at narrative therapy training.” - Rogers Maggie Carey noted:
“Michael expressed great excitement at reading the post‑structuralist French philosophers and in the last few years… drew many ideas from … Deleuze.”
🔹 In Summary
- Yes, Michael White explicitly cited and engaged with Deleuze—especially concepts like “lines of flight,” “deterritorialization,” and “affect” became part of his evolving therapeutic framework.
- His work thus moves beyond Foucault’s discursive analyses into a richer post-structural, Deleuzian approach — one that supports becoming, creativity, and movement away from entrenched narratives.
Would you like me to draft a short lecture map for 自體的心理學 (2025) showing how narrative therapy integrates Foucault and Deleuze?
