There are also, probably in every culture, in every civilization, real places - places that do exist and that are formed in the very founding of society - which are something like counter-sites, a kind of effectively enacted utopia in which the real sites, all the other real sites that can be found within the culture, are simultaneously represented, contested, and inverted. Places of this kind are outside of all places, even though it may be possible to indicate their location in reality.
*The presence of “probably” in this statement poses a problem because it shakes the hypothesis’ credibility. And yet, at the same time, the probability adds on to the elusive nature of the discussed subject matter, therefore creating a paradoxical situation of both weakening and strengthening the essay. This also contrasts with the certainty Foucault has when he is including every culture and civilization into this debate; his repetition of “civilization” after saying “culture” is not redundant, it is just a tool to emphasize the certainty. He then introduces the idea of “counter-sites” and their existence again juxtaposes with the unexistance of utopias in his previous statements. The fact that they are formed along with the birth of a society is a indicator of their vitality; it suggests that they are bound to the same umbilical cord and they share the same blood and, more so, that they feed each other. This seems to suggest that societies actually need them. The mention of the enacted utopia is further emphasizing this connection, since Foucault has established that utopias are dependant and bound to a society. The simultaneous representation, contestation and inversion resonate with the idea of the paradox and further intricate this relationship between the society, the utopia and the counter-site. ...
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