Lecture 1 - 04/11/10 Panopticism - Surveillance & Society
Panopticon: a circular prison with cells displayed around a central surveillance (conscious state that he is always being watched) Aims to make a prisoner more productive.
Theorist: Michel Foucault – Studies how institutions effect us (Madness & civilization)
Key Points:
- Panopticism - As Punishment
- Techniques of the Body
- Ductile Bodies
- Recognition tat institutions work on us in various ways
House of Correction & Asylums
- Madness was excepted in society
- In the 17th Century new ideas were brought about to combat idleness.
- The aim was to change peoples attitudes towards work
- People who were conceded unacceptable were imprisoned (i.e. Criminals, Unmarried mothers, Drunks)
- The idea of the norm was created on views of the ruling class
- Inmates were forced to work
- Society was made to be perfect with no deviants
- Leading to deviants within the houses to corrupt each other
- Therefore groups of criminals were separated by the creation of asylums
- Inmates were treated, rewarded or punished
- Michel Foucault emphasized that modern society rules us with in a similar way
- Today humans are responsible as individuals to conform to the rules
The Pillory
- `Form of public humiliation – judgment of deviants
- E.g., hanging, disembowelment gives power to the ruling class keeping deviants under control
Contemporary Panopticon
- I.e. Schools, CCTV, paparazzi
- People are constantly being observed/Scrutinized
- Encourages a difference in behavior with the idea of being watched
Relationship between Power/Knowledge/Body
- Effecting what we do and our experience
- Panopticism creates a docile body – one that is obedient, Self correcting, Self monitoring
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