The concept of biopolitics is on everyone's lips. Its range of applications extends from asylum policy to AIDS prevention and the fight against population growth. It refers to the support of agricultural products as well as the promotion of medical research, legal regulations regarding abortion, and advance directives for end-of-life decisions. Proponents of the New Right, leftist globalization opponents, critics of biotechnological progress, and its advocates all speak of biopolitics. This volume brings clarity to the conceptual confusion. It provides an overview of the history of the term and explains its significance in current political debates and societal theoretical discussions. The works of the French philosopher Michel Foucault and the discussions that build on his concepts play a central role in this context.